Page images
PDF
EPUB

beration, and with the advice of so many of our Bishops as might conveniently be called together, thought fit to make this Declaration following.

That the Articles of the Church of England, (which have been allowed and authorized heretofore, and which our Clergy generally have subscribed unto,) do contain the true doctrine of the Church of England, agreeable to God's word: which We do therefore ratify and confirm, requiring all our loving Subjects to continue in the uniform profession thereof, and prohibiting the least difference from the said Articles; which to that end we command to be new printed, and this Our Declaration to be published therewith.

That We are Supreme Governor of the Church of England: and that if any difference arise about the external policy, concerning the Injunctions, Canons, and other Constitutions whatsoever thereto belonging, the Clergy in their Convocation is to order and settle them, having first obtained leave under our Broad Seal so to do; and We approving their said Ordinances and Constitutions; providing that none be made contrary to the Laws and Customs of the land.

That out of our Princely care that the Churchmen may do the work which is proper unto them, the Bishops and Clergy, from time to time in Convocation, upon their humble desire, shall have licence under our Broad Seal to deliberate of, and to do, all such things, as being made plain by them, and assented unto by Us, shall concern the settled continuance of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England, now established; from which We will not endure any varying or departing in the least degree.

That for the present, though some differences have been ill raised, yet We take comfort in this, that all Clergymen within our Realm have always most willingly subscribed to the Articles established; which is an argument to us, that they all agree in the true, usual, literal meaning of the said Articles; and that even in those curious points, in which the present differences lie, men of all sorts take the Articles of the Church of England to be for them; which is an argument again, that none of them intend any desertion of the Articles established.

That therefore in these both curious and unhappy differences, which have for so many hundred years, in different times and places, exercised the Church of

Christ', We will that all further curious search be laid aside, and these disputes shut up in God's promises, as they be generally set forth to us in the Holy Scriptures, and the general meaning of the Articles of the Church of England, according to them. And that no man hereafter shall either print, or preach, to draw the Article aside any way, but shall submit to it in the plain and full meaning thereof; and shall not put his own sense or comment to be the meaning of the Article, but shall take it in the literal and grammatical sense.

That if any public Reader in either of our Universities, or any Head or Master of a College, or any other person respectively in either of them, shall affix any new sense to any Article, or shall publicly read, determine, or hold any public disputation, or suffer any such to be held either way, in either the Universities or Colleges respectively; or if any Divine in the Universities shall preach or print any thing either way, other than is already established in Convocation with our Royal assent; he or they the offenders shall be liable to our displeasure, and the Church's censure in our Commission Ecclesiastical, as well as any other: and We will see there shall be due execution upon them.

b See Article XVII. 1. m.

ARTICLES OF RELIGION.

[ocr errors]

I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.

THERE is 'but one 'living and 'true God, ‘ever

a There is one nature, or substance, or soul, or mind, or rather Divine Spirit, (for diversely have wise men, both heathen and Christian, termed God, where indeed by no words he can be properly termed,) eternal, without beginning and end, unmeasurable, uncorporal, invisible with the eyes of men, of most excellent majesty, which we call God, whom all people of the world must reverence and worship with highest honour; and in him, as the best and greatest, to settle their hope and affiance. Nowell, p. 34.

I

■ Thou shalt have no other Gods before me. Exod. xx. 3. The Lord (Jehovah) our God (our Elohim) is one Lord (one Jehovah.) Deut. vi. 4. Who is God save the Lord? Ps. xviii. 31. Hath not one God created us? Mal. ii. 10. There is none other God but one. 1 Cor. viii. 4, 6 God is one. Gal. iii. 20. Thus saith the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. know not any. Isa. xliv. 6, 8. Rev. i. 8. One God and Father, who is above all, and through all. Eph. iv. 6. There is one God and one Mediator. 1 Tim. ii. 5. Thou believest there is one God, thou doest well. James ii. 19. Thou art God alone. 2 Kings xix. 15. Thou art LORD alone. Neh. ix. 6. Whose name alone is Jehovah. Ps. lxxxiii. 18. I am God; there is no God with me. Deut. xxxii. 39. Before me there was no God formed. Isa. xliii. 10.

b My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Ps. lxxxiv. 2. Ye are the temple of the living God. 2 Cor. vi. 16. He liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom

is from generation to generation. Dan. iv. 34. He is the living God, and stedfast for ever. Dan. vi. 26.

The LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King. The Gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens. Jer. x. 10, 11. This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. John xvii. 3. Turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. 1 Thess. i. 9. We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 1 John v. 20.

d Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Ps. xc. 2. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end,

lasting, without body, parts, or passions; 'of infinite power, wisdom, and" goodness, the 'Maker

i God, the most good and mighty Father, at the beginning, and of nothing, by the power of his word, that is, of Jesus Christ his Son, framed and made this whole visible world, and all things, whatsoever they be, that are contained therein, and also the uncorporal spirits, whom we call angels. Nowell, p. 37.

Thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. Ps. cii. 26, 27, 12. The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding. Isa. xl. 28.

God is a Spirit. John iv. 24. What likeness will ye compare to him? Isa. xl. 18. We ought not to think that the Godhead is like to gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art or man's device. Acts xvii. 29. The invisible things of him are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead. Rom. i. 20. Changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image. Rom. i. 23. God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent. Numb. xxiii. 19.

f With God all things are possible. Mark x. 27. Luke i. 37. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, he hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. Jer. x. 12. li. 15. His divine power hath given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. 2 Pet. i. 3. We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. 1 Pet. i. 5.

He is perfect in knowledge. Job xxxvii. 16. His understanding is infinite. Ps. cxlvii. 5. O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Rom. xi. 33. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and

glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Tim. i. 17.

h The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Exod. xxxiv. 6. The goodness of God endureth continually. Ps. lii. 1. Thou preventest with the blessings of thy goodness. Ps. xxi. 3. The goodness of God leadeth to repentance. Rom. ii. 4. Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he teach sinners in the way. Ps. xxv. 8. Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee. Ps. lxxxvi. 5. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. xxxiii. 5. Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are of a clean heart. Ps. lxxiii. 1. My people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord. Jer. xxxi. 14. O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Ps. xxxiv. 8. The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. Ezra viii. 22.

Ps.

iHe that built all things is God. Heb. iii. 4. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Gen. i. 1. Thou hast made heaven and the heaven of heavens, with all their hosts; the earth and all things that are therein; the sea, and all that is therein: and thou preservest them all, and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. Neh. ix. 6.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Rev. iv. 11.

2

and Preserver of all things, both visible and

* Whereas it is much more excellent to maintain and preserve things created, than to have once created them; we must certainly believe, that when he had so framed the world and all creatures, he from thenceforth hath preserved and yet preserveth them. For all things would run to ruin, and fall to nothing, unless by his virtue, and, as it were, by his hand, they were upholden. We also assuredly believe, that the whole order of nature, and changes of things, which are falsely reputed the alterations of fortune, do hang all upon God: that God guideth the course of the heaven, upholdeth the earth, tempereth the seas, and ruleth this whole world, and that all things obey his divine power, and by his divine power all things are governed: that he is the author of fair weather and of tempest, of rain and of drought, of fruitfulness and of barrenness, of health and of sickness that of all things that belong to the sustentation and preserving of our life, and which are desired either for necessary use or honest pleasure: finally of all things that nature needeth, he hath ever given, and yet most largely giveth abundance and plenty with most liberal hand: to this end verily that we should so use them as becometh mindful and kind children. Nowell, p. 37.

If his especial goodness were not every where present, every creature should be out of order, and no creature should have his property, wherein he was first created. He is therefore invisible every where, and in every creature, and filleth both heaven and earth with his presence: in the fire to give heat; in the water to give moisture; in the earth, to give fruit; in the heart, to give his strength; yea in our bread and drink is he, to give us nourishment, where without him the bread and drink cannot give sustenance, nor the herb health: Wisd. xvi. 26. Deut. viii,

k The Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth. Gen. xiv. 22. To the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. Exod. viii. 22. The pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints. 1 Sam. ii. 8, 9. In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. Job xii. 10. Upholding all things by the word of his power. Heb. i. 3. In the beginning God (Eloim) created the heavens and the earth. Gen. i. 1. God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Gen. i. 26, 27. Hath not one God created us? Mal. ii, 10. God by his Son

made the worlds. Heb. i. 2. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. John i. 1-3. Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him; and, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matt. iii. 16, 17.

« PreviousContinue »