[ 1 43 ] I. As for points abfolutely nece:lfary fober Pa.: pHis tbemfelves confefs tha t they are all plainly expreft in Scripture: Elfe it were . ~o ·perfeCf_ Do– ctrine or Law ofGod: IfaCounCil cont~amct a– ny Article of the Creed, muft we receive its. De– crees? Sure Councils have no pmver to judge that there is n0God, no Cbrift, no Scripture, no Hea– ven 1 Nor muft we believe them if they iliould fo do : And if they have power only to tell us that, There u a Uod, aChriH, a Heaven, Scripture hath told us this already ; 'and we neeq not that a Council tell it us. Ifwe believe it as ofGod it is a Divine Faith ; if as of Man, it is but a Humane Faith. 2. But if it be only ·'Points not Necefiary, a· Council cannot make that neceffary which God . made not fv? And it's agreat wrong to the World~ to incre2fe the difficulty of Faith and Salvation,. 'by making -more neceffary to it than God hath done. . II. And whether they are necelfary or not, if they are plainly expreft in Scripture what need we a Council .eo fay the fame again ? Is not Gods plainwords intelligible, as \vell as theirs ?, And muft we not believe Gods plain words till a Coun– cil repeat them ? How many things thenmuft we– refufe to believe, which are plainly expreft in Scripture ? . ·But if they be things not plainly · expreft in Scripture, it's like they are not Neceifary to Sal-· vation. Ifthey be, they are fuch dedudionsfrom plain Scripture as are obvious.to a found un~r~ ftanding, ·or .not : Ifyea , then every found under" franding m~y know them. Or if Men be igno– rant, ei ther Councils or finglePa·ftors way teach ohem : •
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