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for diftinct Heads; and they are accordingly dif pers'd up and down, and very eafily found, in their proper Places.

The Second Propofition. If it be inquired, whether the Church affirms, and confequently whether we be oblig'd to fubfcribe, no more than that the Church of Jerufalem, Alexandria, and Antioch have erred; or that the Church of Jerufalem, Alexandria, and Antioch have like the Church of Rome, erred in Matters of Faith; as well as in their living, and manner of Ceremonies: I anfwer, that tho' 'tis poffible, the Compilers of the Articles might mean the latter; yet it doth not appear that they did; and 'tis certain, that their Expreffions do not neceffarily fignifiy, and confequently we are not bound to fubfcribe, more than the former. And accordingly I have worded the Propofition. Wherefore he that believes, that the Church of Jerufalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred at all, whether in Living, or in manner of Ceremonies, or in matters of Faith (tho' perhaps he is not fatisfied, that they have erred in all thefe Refpects, or it may be in more than one of them) may honeftly fubfcribe this Propofition.

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Now that the Churches of ferufalem, Alexandria and Antioch have erred, none can doubt, who confiders, that Arianifm had once overfpread those Parts of the World. This is a plain Inftance in matters of Faith. If any Man thinks his Subfcription obliges him to own, that they have alfo erred in Living and manner of Ceremonies; the Truth of this Charge is too plainly prov'd. For, 1. No Church ever wanted fome degree of Depravity of Manners. 2. These Churches have been tainted with the Roman Pollutions in Worship,

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The Third Propofition is evident from the whole Courfe of our Controverfies with the Church of Rome. Their Errors in Life they dare not deny; and their Errors in Faith and manner of Ceremonies evidently appear from their Trent Creed,which is burdened with a vaft Variety of fuch abominableFalfhoods, as have grievously corrupted their very Worship. For inftance, the Doctrin of Tranfubftantiation has led them to the groffeft Idolatry. I forbear other Particulars, which are equally notorious.

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The TWENTIETH ARTICLE.
Of the Authority of the Church.

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HE Church bath power to decree rites or ceremonies, and authority in controverfies of faith: And yet is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's word written, neither may it so 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 believ'd for neceffity of Salvation.

This Article contains Six Propofitions.

1. The Church has Power to decree Rites or Ceremonies.

2. The Church has Authority in Controverfies of Faith.

3. It is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's Word written.

Art. XXI. 4. The Church may not fo expound one Place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. s. The Church is a Witnefs and Keeper of Holy

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6. As it ought not to decree any thing againft 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 fhe is a Witness and Keeper of them.

The Sixth Propofition has two Branches. 1. The Church ought not to decree any thing againft 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 firft Propofitions of the Sixth Article.

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

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 affembly 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 or dained by them as neceffary 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.

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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 pertaining to God.

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

5. Things ordained by general Councils as neceffary 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 Conver fion of Conftantine. For thofe 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 Gene ral Councils to Particular, that is, National or Provincial ones. And confequently, by that Phrase fhe does not understand thofe 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 Asfemblies 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 pertain ing to God. Thefe 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 Promife of their being fecured from Error in those, more than in other Matters.

The Fourth Propofition. For the Proof of this take a remarkable inftance. The Council of Ari minum confifted of above Four Hundred Bishops from all Parts of the Chriftain 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.

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