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things necessary to salvation; but it was not a doctrine which they imposed upon others, and it was a doctrine which they could not impose upon others consistently with their belief that the foundation which the Bible rested was, as I say, mainly historical evidence and individual reason. My first answer, therefore, to that objection is, that it was an opinion and not a doctrine, an opinion which has widely prevailed since; which, I suppose, is held now by the vast majority of Christians, but an opinion which is not the doctrine of the Church." Now this assertion that the Reformers and following Divines held the infallibility of Scripture as matter of opinion, is one that requires documentary proof. But this Mr. Stephen avoids. He is ready with an illustration to show what nobody doubts, that there is a difference between an opinion and a doctrine, but does not produce one solitary passage, not even from Jeremy Taylor, to support an assertion of the very utmost importance to his argument. If the Reformers held the infallibility of Scripture, then it follows that when they make canonical Scripture the authoritative proof of doctrine, they imply its infallibility, and intended to do so; that the infallibility of Scripture was to them an article of faith, a doctrine which they did impose upon others, and not an opinion which they

held privately for themselves-that with this article of faith, or dogma, they began the Reformation, and continued the assertion of it to the end. The first authoritative document put forth at the dawn of the Reformation was that in 1536, with the title, "Articles about Religion set out by the Convocation, and published by the King's authority."

In the preamble King Henry sets out how he felt it his duty to endeavour to bring his subjects to unity of faith and charity, how for this purpose he had assembled the Convocation, how they had deliberated to determine upon these Articles. Then he distinguishes between those which are articles of faith necessary to salvation, and those which are only for decency of order. And, for because we would the said Articles, and every of them, to be taken and understanden of you, after such sort, order, and degree as appertaineth accordingly, we have caused, by the like assent and agreement of our bishops and other learned men, the said Articles to be divided into two sorts, that is to say, such as are commanded expressly by God, and are necessary to our salvation, and such other, as, although they be not expressly commanded of God, nor necessary to our salvation, yet being of a long continuance, for a decent order and honest policy, prudently

instituted, are for that same purpose and end to be observed in like manner."

The first sort necessary to salvation is headed "Articles of our Faith," and of this the first paragraph is:

"First, as touching the chief and principal articles of our faith, sith it is thus agreed as hereafter followeth by the whole clergy of this our realm; we will, that all bishops and preachers shall instruct and teach our people, by us committed to their spiritual charge, that they ought and must most constantly believe and defend all those things to be true, which be comprehended in the whole body and canon of the Bible.... and also in the three Creeds... Item, that they ought and must repute, hold, and take all the same things for the most holy, most sure, and most certain, and infallible words of God, and such as neither ought nor can be altered, or convelled by any contrary opinion or authority"." These Articles were subscribed by both houses of Convocation. The next is "The Institution of a Christian Man," published 1537, and known as the Bishop's Book. It begins by setting forth at large the Apostles' Creed, and then gives "the sense and interpretation of the first Article."

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Bp. Lloyd's Formularies of Faith, p. 5.

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And here, after explaining the doctrine of the Trinity, it goes on, "And I believe also and profess that all and singular the words and sayings of this God the Father, (be they laws, precepts, promises, prophecies, threatenings,) and all that ever was spoken of Him or by Him in the whole body and canon of the New and Old Testaments, is most certainly true, and of such infallible verity and truth, that the same cannot be altered or convelled by any contrary opinion, power, or authority" (page 31). In the Eighth Article, "The Holy Ghost," it says, "And I believe that this Holy Spirit of God is the Spirit of truth, and the author of all Holy Scripture contained in the whole canon of the Bible"." Appended are "Notes and Observations necessary to be taught unto the people, for the better inducing of them unto the right understanding of the foresaid Creed," and the second of these is, "It is to be noted, that all true Christian men ought and must most constantly believe, maintain, and defend all those things to be true, not only which be comprehended in this Creed, and in the other two Symbols or Creeds . . . . but also all other things which be comprehended in the whole canon of the Bible "."

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Bp. Lloyd's Formularies of Faith, p. 51. * Ibid. p. 61.

The third document is the "Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christian Man," printed in 1543, and again 1545. This book begins with "The Declaration of Faith," and this declaration first explains what it means by "Faith." "Faith, in the first acception, is considered as a several gift of God by itself, distinct from hope and charity; and so taken, it signifieth a persuasion and belief wrought by God in man's heart, whereby he assenteth, granteth, and taketh for true, not only that God is .... but also that all the words and sayings of God which be revealed and opened in the Scripture, be of most certain truth and infallible verity." In "The Notes to the Creed" (page 227) it repeats the words found in the Bishop's Book, "Secondly, it is to be noted," &c., and in the Eighth Article that "the Holy Spirit of God is the Spirit of truth, and the author of all Holy Scripture contained in the whole canon of the Bible." Such are the doctrinal statements, or rather articles of faith set forth by the Reformers in the reign of Henry VIII., demonstrating that they held the inspiration and divine authority of the whole canon of Scripture, not as matter of opinion, but essential articles of faith, necessary to be taught and necessary to be believed. In the beginning of Elizabeth's reign, 1559, those who