or teacher; and should no man teach thee | to true and everlasting salvation is not what thou seekest, God will explain to thee contained in this Scripture, and that the in some way or other.-IBID. Since your majesty requires of me a simple and direct answer, I will give one, and it is this: I cannot submit my faith either to popes or councils, since it is clear as noonday that they have often erred, and even opposed one another. If, then, I am not confuted by Scripture or by cogent reasons, I neither can nor will retract anything; for it cannot be right for a Christian to do anything against his conscience. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise; God help me. Amen.-Luther at Worms. THE PROTEST OF SPIRES. right of expounding the Scripture lieth so in the power of chief bishops, that what they, according to their own will, give out, is to be embraced for the meaning of the Holy Ghost; it is more easily said than proved.-Chap. 30. CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA. The ministers of our churches teach with one consent, concerning the Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testament (which is commonly called the Bible, and is lawfully received and allowed of the Fathers which are of the best and soundest judgment), that it is true, certain, and worthy to be believed; whereunto no other human writ We are resolved, with the grace of God, to maintain the pure and exclusive preach-ings whatsoever, or of what sort soever ing of his Holy Word, such as it is contained they be, may be compared, but that, as in the biblical books of the Old and New man's writings, they must give place to Testament, without adding anything there- the Holy Scripture. to that may be contrary to it. This Word is the only truth; it is the sure rule of all doctrine and of all life, and can never fail or deceive us. He who builds on this foundation shall stand against all the powers of hell, whilst all the human vanities that are set up against it shall fall before the face of God. CONFESSION OF FRANCE. This one God hath revealed himself to be such an one unto men: first, in the creation, preservation, and governing of his works; secondly, far more plainly in his Word; which Word, in the beginning, he revealed to the fathers by certain visions and oracles, and then caused it to be written in these books which we call Holy Scripture.-Art. 2. And hereupon it followeth, that it is not lawful to oppose either antiquity, custom, multitude, man's wisdom and judgment, or edicts, or decrees, or councils, or visions, or miracles, unto this Holy Scripture; but rather that all things ought to be examined and tried by the rule and square thereof. -Art. 5. CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBURG. The Holy Scriptures we call those canonical books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority there was never doubt made in the Church. This Scripture we believe and confess to be the oracle of the Holy Ghost, so confirmed by heavenly testimonies, that "If an angel from heaven preach any other thing, let him be accursed.-Gal. i. 8. Wherefore we detest all doctrine, worship, and religion, contrary to this Scripture. But whereas some men think, that all doctrine necessary to be known of us Wherefore every one ought very highly to esteem the Divine writings of the holy prophets and apostles; resolutely to believe them, and religiously to yield unto them in all things; diligently to read them, to gather wholesome doctrine out of them; and according to them ought every man to frame and order himself, but especially they who, after an holy manner, are set over the church of God." Of which thing St. Augustine speaketh in this manner: "Be not thou a servant to my writings, as it were to the canonical Scriptures. But in the canonical Scriptures, such things as thou didst not believe, when thou hast there found them, immediately believe: but in my writings, that which thou knowest not for a certain truth, unless thou perceive it to be certain, hold it not resolutely." Proam. In librum 3, de Sancta Trinitate. And elsewhere he saith: "Give not as great credit to mine or Ambrose his words, as to the canonical Scriptures." This is the right rule to discern writings by; which so greatly liked the Papists, that they have cited it in their Decretal.-Distinct. 9. Cap. Noli meis verbis, &c. Chap. 1. FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA. The canonical Scripture being the Word of God, and delivered by the Holy Ghost, and published to the world by the prophets and Apostles, being of all others the most perfect and ancient philosophy, doth alone perfectly contain all piety and good ordering of life.-Art. 1. LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA. as he doth understand, but seriously exhorted to read the same, with great humility and reverence, as a special means to bring him to the true knowledge of God, and of his own duty. Word of God, and to have sufficient autho- | from reading the Bible in such a language rity of themselves, not of men. For God himself spake to the fathers, prophets, Apostles, and speaketh yet unto us by the Holy Scriptures. And in this Holy Scripture, the universal Church of Christ hath in all things fully expounded whatsoever belong both to a saving faith, and also to the framing of a life acceptable to God: in which respect it is expressly commanded of God, that nothing be either put to, or taken from, the same. We judge, therefore, that from these Scriptures is to be taken true wisdom and godliness, the reformation and government of churches; as also, instruction in all duties of piety; and, to be short, the confirmation of opinions, and the confutation of errors, with all exhortations.-Chap. 1. CONFESSION OF BELGIA. We confess that this Word of God was not brought or delivered by any will of man; but that holy men of God, inspired by God's Holy Spirit, spake it, as St. Peter witnesseth. But afterward God himself, for that exceeding tender carefulness which he hath of his, and of their salvation, gave in commission to his servants, the Apostles and prophets, that they should put those oracles in writing; and He himself also wrote the two Tables of the Law, with his own finger; which is the cause why we call such writing sacred and divine Scripture.-Art. 3. We believe also that this holy Scripture doth most perfectly contain all the will of God, and that in it all things are abundantly taught, whatsoever is necessary to be believed of man, to attain salvation and therefore no other writings of men, though never so holy-no custom, no multitude, no antiquity, nor prescription of times, nor personal succession, nor any councils; and to conclude, no decrees or ordinances of men, are to be matched or compared with these divine Scriptures, and this bare truth of God.-Art. 7. CONFESSION OF IRELAND.-1615. The ground of our religion, and the rule of faith and all saving truth, is the Word of God, contained in the Holy Scripture. By the name of Holy Scripture we understand all the canonical books of the Old and New Testament, &c. All which we acknowledge to be given by inspiration of God, and in that regard to be of most certain credit and highest authority. The Scriptures ought to be translated out of the original tongues, into all languages, for the common use of all men: neither is any person to be discouraged Although there be some hard things in the Scripture (especially such as have proper relation to the times in which they were first uttered, and prophecies of things which were afterwards to be fulfilled), yet all things necessary to be known unto everlasting salvation, are clearly delivered therein; and nothing of that kind is spoken under dark mysteries in one place, which is not in other places spoken of more familiarly and plainly, to the capacity both of learned and unlearned. The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation, and are able to instruct sufficiently in all points of faith that we are bound to believe, and all good duties that we are bound to practise. We must receive God's promises in such wise as they be generally set forth unto us in Holy Scripture, and in our doings, that the will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the Word of God. In the Old Testament the commandments of the law were more largely, and the promises of Christ more sparingly and darkly propounded-shadowed with a multitude of types and figures, and so much the more generally and obscurely delivered, as the manifesting of them was further off. The Old Testament is not contrary to the New. For, both in the Old and New Testament, everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only mediator between God and man, being God and man. Wherefore, they are not to be heard which feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises. For they looked for all benefits of God the Father, through the merits of his Son, Jesus Christ, as we now do: only they believed in Christ which should come-we, in Christ already come. The New Testament is full of grace and truth, bringing joyful tidings unto mankind, that whatsoever was formerly promised of Christ is now accomplished: and so, instead of the ancient types and ceremonies, exhibited the things themselves, with a large and clear declaration of all the benefits of the Gospel. Neither is the ministry thereof restrained any longer to one nation, but is indifferently propounded unto all people, whether they be Jews or Gentiles. So that there is now no nation which can truly complain that they be shut forth from the communion of saints, and the liberties of the people of God. Although the law given from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites, be abolished, and the civil precepts thereof be not of necessity to be received in any commonwealth, yet notwithstanding, no Christian man whatsoever, is freed from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral.-Arts. 1, 3, and 15. FIRST CONFESSION OF SCOTLAND.-1560. As we believe and confess the Scriptures of God sufficient to instruct and make the man of God perfect (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17), so do we affirm and avow the authority of the same to be of God, and neither to depend on men or angels. We affirm, therefore, that such as allege the Scripture to have no other authority but that which it hath received from the church, are blasphemers against God, and injurious to the true church; which always heareth and obeyeth the voice of her own spouse and pastor (John x. 27), but taketh not upon her to be mistress over the same.-Art. 19. CONFESSION OF WESTMINSTER. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable -yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation: therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church, against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly into writing, which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary-those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people, being now ceased. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these: Genesis, &c. &c. &c. All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of Divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture, and, therefore, are of no authority in the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of, than any other human writings. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church, to an high and reverend esteem of the Holy Scripture, and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God, yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and Divine authority thereof is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence, may be deduced from Scripture-unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word; and that there are some circnmstances concerning the worship of God and government of the church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of Nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the writing of it, was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and by his singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical, so as in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal unto them. But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come, that the Word of God, dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner, and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture, is the Scripture itself; and, therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly. The Supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.-Chap. 1. and the perfections of his nature, are things which no one could have revealed, excepting him who is perfectly acquainted with himself-the piety aud self-denial of their penmen-the purity and holiness of their truths-the consonance of the whole, though written by different persons, at separate periods-their continued preservation in the world, though the strongest endeavours have been made to annihilate them; and their chief aim being to exhibit the greatness and glory of God, are indubitable proofs of their Divine authenticity. The authority and effects which the Scriptures obtain on the hearts and lives of men, together with the superiority of those nations who possess the Scriptures in every age, over those who are destitute of them, with regard to morality, knowledge, and the practice of every other virtue, are strong arguments to warrant the conclusion that an infinite God was their author. Besides, it would be unreasonable to God alone is lord of the conscience, and suppose that angels or men were their hath left it free from the doctrines and authors; it cannot be thought wicked commandments of men, which are in any-men, in the primitive ages, composed the thing contrary to his Word, or beside it, in matters of faith or worship. So that to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commandments, out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience, and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also.Chap. 20: 2. CONFESSION OF ENGLISH AND WELSH The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience," although the light of nature," &c. (for remainder, vide Confession of Westminster).-Chap. 1 and Chap. 20: 2. CONFESSION OF THE WELSH METHODISTS The Holy Scriptures, the written Word of God, or the book commonly called the Bible, is now contained in all the Books of the Old and New Testament, viz., Genesis, &c. &c. &c. Scriptures, or it must be granted that the nature of wickedness has undergone a change since those days; and it is certain that the fallen angels never formed the weapons which are instrumental to the overthrow of their own government in the human heart; and it would have been inconsistent with the purity of the elect angels, and with the holiness of pious men, to invent falsehoods in the name of the Lord of Hosts: therefore, it must unavoidably be admitted that the Scriptures have originated with God and with God alone.—Art. 2. CONFESSION OF WESLEYAN METHODISTS. The law of God is his will respecting mankind in general, both as to what they are to do, and to leave undone: this law is to be found in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. The Ten Commandments are called the moral law, as in substance containing all the moral duties required of all mankind in the Scriptures; and they are called the moral law also to distinguish them from the laws given by God to the children of Israel respecting the ceremonies of religious worship, and their political duties, which were chiefly binding upon the Israelites only. (But) Jesus Christ summed up the whole (moral) law of God in two great commandments. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." And the seThe greatness and importance of the cond is like unto it, "Thou shalt love thy truths which they unfold regarding God, | neighbour as thyself." On these two The whole Scriptures, comprising the Old and New Testaments, are the Word of God; and He it was that indicted them to the holy men who delivered them to us. They contain a sufficient, complete, and perfect revelation of the mind and will of their author, relating to everything which is necessary that we should know, in order to be saved, and furnishing us with the only infallible rule for the regulation of our faith and obedience. commandments hang all the law and the prophets, &c. &c.-Catechism 2: sec. 6.1-29. CONFESSION OF INDEPENDENT DISSENTERS. The Scriptures of the Old Testament, as received by the Jews, and the books of the New Testament, as received by the primitive Christians from the evangelists and apostles, Congregational Churches believe to be divinely inspired, and of supreme authority. These writings, in the languages in which they were originally composed, are to be consulted, by the aids of sound criticism, as a final appeal in all controversies; but the common version they consider to be adequate to the ordinary purposes of Christian instruction and edification. They believe that the New Testament contains, either in the form of express statute, or in the example and practice of Apostles and apostolic churches, all the articles of faith necessary to be believed, and all the principles of order and discipline requisite for constituting and governing Christian societies; and that human traditions, fathers, and councils, canons, and creeds, possess no authority over the faith and practice of Christians.—Declaration of | Faith. 1833. CONFESSION OF THE CHURCH OF We receive and embrace all the canonical Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testament, giving thanks to our God, who hath raised up unto us that light, which we might ever have before our eyes; lest either by the subtilty of man, or by the snares of the devil, we should be carried away to errors and lies. Also we confess that these be the heavenly voices, whereby God hath opened unto man his will; and that only in them man's heart can have settled rest; that in them be abundantly and fully comprehended all things, whatsoever be needful for our help, as Origen, Augustine, Chrysostom, and Cyril, have taught; that they be the very might and strength to attain salvation; that they be the foundations of the prophets and Apostles, whereupon is built the church of God; that they be the sure and infallible rule, whereby may be tried whether the Church do swerve or err, and whereunto all ecclesiastical doctrine ought to be called to account; aud that against these Scriptures neither law nor ordinance, nor any custom, ought to be heard: no, though Paul himself, nor any angel from heaven, should come and teach the contrary.-Doctrine of the Church of England. Published by authority of Queen Elizabeth. Art. 9. Jewel's Аров Holy Scripture containeth all things nenessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor 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, &c.—39 Art. 6 and 7. The Church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies, and authority, in controversies of faith; and yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain anything 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 anything against the same, so, besides the same, ought it not to enforce anything to be believed for necessity of salvation.-Art. 20. ARTICLE IV.-OF THE HOLY wast, and shalt be. Even so, Lord God Almighty; "Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and true and righteous are thy judgments."-Rev. xvi. 5, 7. .TE DEUM. The Holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee; The Father, of an infinite Majesty; Thine honourable, true, and only Son; Also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. ATHANASIAN CREED. We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, Exact and such is the Holy Spirit. Uncreate, incomprehensible, and eternal! And in this Trinity none is afore or after other; none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are coeternal together, and co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. NICENE CREED. I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, who, with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the Prophets. APOSTLES' CREED. I believe in God the Father Almighty, |