T heofkil ^^ N/nds-ey

j |nm

AN ATTEMPT

TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THE

THIRTY - NINE ARTICLES.

.- ( b ? & Y " i I u<* K. * ^^^^ 1

PRICE SIX -PENCE.

' Those who contend that nothing lefs can
1 jufiify fubfci-iption to the Thirty-nine articles than the
* adual belief of each and every feparate propofition they
* contain, muft fuppofe that the legiflature expefted the
4 confent of ten thoufand men, and that in perpetual fuc-
1 ceflion, not to one controverted propofition, but to
' many hundreds. It is hard to be conceived how this
' could be expefted by any who obferved the incurable
' diverfity of human opinion upon all fubjefts fhort of
* demonftration.' * If the authors of the law did not intend this» what
* did they intend ? They intended to exclude from offices
* in the church, i. All abettors of popery. 2. Ana-
* baptifts, who were at that time a powerful party on the
' Continent. 3. The Puritans, who were hoftile to the
' epifcopal conftitution ; and, in general, the leading
' members of fuch fefts or foreign eftablifhments as
* threatened to overthrow our own.'
' Whoever finds himfelf comprehended within thefe
' defcriptions ought not to fubfcribe.' Palev's Moral Philofophy.
" Let us entreat that we may no longer have a fet of
" articles that aggrieve ourfelves: though we have no
" objection to the fubfcribing fuch a reafonable form as
" fhall be thought neceflary to fecure a Proteftant church
" againft it's being committed to the care of a Papift or
" Unbeliever.
" Or, if this be too great a happinefs to be thought
" attainable, let us truft that we fhall at leaft get re-
" moved that Form of Subfcription which, in its prefent
" ftate, requires fuch a latitude in a folemn aft as no
" honeft man would allow himfelf to ufe on any other
" contraft, however trifling."
Woxlaston's Addrefs to the Clergy, 1 772.

A' N ATTEMPT

, TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THE

THIRTY - NINE ARTICLES

O N

\
SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES}

b y

A MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

LONDON:
JRINTED for J. JOHNSON, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARS,,
M,SCC(I,XXX]X,

I 5 )

1W EDITOR to the READER.

READER, It is a thing open and evident to
all ferious and capable obfervers of the moral and
religious ftate of this kingdom, that, in point of
the long wifhed for and much folicited removal of
fubfcription and conformity to human creeds and
articles of faith, we have been in a retrograde ftate,
fince the days of venerable Hoadley, and through'
the whole of the prefent reign-, though the ne
ceffity of fuch a reformation has never been equally-
held forth, and more generally allowed in any
time. Not unconnected with this faft is the remark of
a prelate*, very lately deceafed, himfelf not averfc
to have become a reformer in thefe refpedts; * that,
' at a period like the prefent, when revelation
* had been cleared and freed from many, things
1 that difguifed and defaced it, and fhewn to be
1 entirely rational, and worthy of the Divine Being,
' the number of unbelievers fhould be increafed,
* and increasing.' * Dr. Shipley, bi&op of St. Afaph. A midft

C. * )
Amidft other affignable caufes, to none more
may we afcribe this very general infidelity, ef
pecially in the upper and opplent ranks of, life,
than to the forbidding afpedt which the gofpel
wears in our creeds and articles, which are taken
for the very teachings of Jefus himfelf and his
apoftles, though two greater difparates cannot be,
efpecially with regard to the magna moralia, as my
Lord Bacon call's them, the leading points of moral
practice; and thus the divine truth is unworthily
afperfed and rejeded.
. .Moft ardently therefore is it to be defired and
fought for, that thefe obftacles to the recejition-
pf it may be removed ; and that fuch multitudes
in all chriftian countries, and in our own, "may not
thereby be turned away from the means of virtuous
improvement for a future ftate of being, with
which their benevolent Creator hath furnifhed
theni. .
But there is a grievance and diftrefs of a peculiar
kind, which is felt by the confeieritiou-s- minifter
of thjd eftablifhed church,; from the1 proftrate, un
iformed ftate of things among usi Entering- into
the rainrftry.with the moft upright views of ferving
the. immortal interefts of his fellow^creatures,
apid: approving- at fix ft the terms on which he is
admitted to his office, in fearching the fcriptures
afterwards, he finds it difficult to reconcile many
things required of him with his growing convic tions ;

[ 7 ]
tions ; yet.is unwilling, thinks it not right, to quit
a funftion, in which he experiences himfelf capa-.
ble of being of fome benefit to others, and not
knowing in what other way to lav out the talent
committed to him, he is conftrained to become, in
the beft manner he can, his own interpreter and
expofitor of the doclrines prefcribed to him, fa
as to go on in his work with fome degree of 'felf-
approbation. Many worthy names, living and
dead, might be mentioned, who have thus quieted
their minds in thefe anxious fituations, which are.
daily becoming more frequent. How the afFeclx
ing inftance of a perfon wholly unknown^ of this
defcription, fell in my way, and; is now offered to
the public, the following extradl of the letter that.
accompanied it will fatisfy the reader-, ajid be a
proper introduction to it : January 29, 1789.
' Will you read this letter  , and
' admit one, to whofe perfon and name you are
* altogether a ftranger, ¦  to break upcn
* you with a freedom, perhaps only to be autho-
* rifed by a habit of the utmoft intimacy ? My
' fituation in life is an humble one, that of a cu-
' rate of the eftablilhed church, wjth a very n,u-
' merous, growing family  . It is poffible
' that I may be appointed to the important office
4 of preaching the gofpel of Jefus Chrift to a pa-
' rifh of cohfiderable extent. I muft of courfe
6 ' fubfcribe »

C M
* fubfcribe to the 39 articles, and make a decla-
' ration which I fhall utter with a trembling voice.
* Yet to what fhould I have recourfe — '¦  ?
' I fly for fuccour to the arguments of the excel-
4 lent Blackburne, in the preface to his charges
4 — : — r—. The other profeffions it is too late
' for me to attempt. Trade my habits forbid me
' to undertake. I muft then fall into an ufelefs in-
4 aftive courfe of life, which would induce a ftate
4 of fpiritlefs dejedtion. At prefent my humble
4 efforts, as a minifter, have been generally ac-
4 ceptable ; and the natural confequence of a firm
4 belief in Chriftianity has given me a degree of
' eftimation calculated to enforce the doctrines I
' urge in public and in private. I am in the
4 hands of a God of mercy. In my fermons,
4 though not many years fince inclined to be zea_
4 lous for what is called orthodoxy, I now keep
4 to the purity of the gofpel ; and, avoiding all
*, controverfial terms, I take the paffage from the
4 epiftle to Titus, ii. 11, 14. as the fum and fub-
* ftance of religious inftrudtion. Never will I of-
' fend my confeience fo far as to fpeak from the
' pulpit what I do not myfelf believe to be true.
1 That the gofpel of Jefus may avail to the moft
* glorious edification, even fettered as it is by the
' eftablifhment, I have feen in fome villages,
' where the paftors have imbibed the earlieft at-
4 tachment to the tenets of the church. In a town
' the cafe is different ; and there infidelity, I am
4 afraid,

C 9 1
afraid, is the almoft general confequence. — —
Might not good arife then for fome rational be
lievers to continue in the miniftry, who, by
dwelling on the evidences of their faith, and
pointing out the natural effedt of a firm perfla
tion of the truth •, in fhort, by true evangelical
preaching may fave thofe that hear them, and I
truft obtain falvation for themfelves from the in
finite mercy of their heavenly Father? Suffer
the defence to work as far as it will reach.'
But to the caufe of my offering you this pacqet :
Let me beg of you to read the enclofed exposi
tion — — — -, but without permitting it to place
the writer in too favourable a point of view.
Will the publication of it anfwer any one good
end ? If my condudt be every way unjuftifiable,
it certainly will not. If otherwife, may I beg
of you to take the trouble of handing it to the
prefs, and ordering a few copies to be printed,
&c. &c."
THE*author had prefixed a particular addrefs to
fome refpedtable names of his ecclefiaftical fupe-
riors, with whom he was in fome degree connected>
or .whofe general charader he held in efteem ; in
which he acquaints them with the defign of his pub
lication. The former part of this, the editor hath
judged it more fitting to drop ; but could not
excufe or juftify himfelf in fuppreffing or fecreting
what follows, in the conclufion, from the eyes of
B the

[ io ]
the ferious * public, who will be much moved
with it; and he trufts, that the governors of the
church, whom it deeply concerns, will not view it

with indifference and negledt.

FAREWELL.

* That there arc gentlemeitof the laiety in the kingdom,
and of tlie eftablifhed church, who are convinced of the truth
of our religion, and zealous for the purity of its profeflion, is
evident from many tokens, in the midft of the general igno
rance, and indifpolition to it. This appeared very particularly
the laft year, in a pamphlet, which plainly befpoke itfelf to
come from one who had much confidered the fubjeft, and was
deeply interefted in it. The title was ' Hints, &c. fubmitted
' to the attention of the clergy, nobility, and gentry, newly
' aflociated, by a layman, a true friend to the conftitution in
' church and ftate. London : printed for Rivington, Dilly,
&c. 1788.

To

To the BISHOPS of, &q, &,

Wuffer me then to lay before you the only fenfe
in which one who hath for feveral years been a
minifter, who hath a large family to educate and
fet forward in the world, yet whofe difpofition
hath never been confidered as mercenary and felfifh,
can in future fubfcribe to the thirty-nine articles.
In fome I have explained away the fenfe of the
compiler, more than is authorized by the example
of the great and good Bifhop Burnet; but furely
not in all, as the explication which he evidently
allows to the feventeenth can fcarcely be accom
modated to the words of the original. If by per-
fuading others, who fuffer what I have done upon
the awful fubjedr, to retain their ufefulnefs in the
world, by continuing to officiate in the church of
England, confeffedly imperfedt as it is, and to
fulfil the important duties of a parifh prieft (np
B 2 dilhoneft

( 12 )
difhoneft wifh, I humbly hope ;) and ftill more,
if I may be fuffered to indulge a hope that the
confcientious ftruggles of one, who is a chriftian
after fearching diligently into the evidences of his
faith, and who is perfuaded that many among his
brethren labour under the fame difficulties with
himfelf, will excite the companion of his fuperiors,
and induce them to lend their aid, that thefe-
ftumbling blocks of human introduction may ef
fectually be removed, my intention in giving this
little book to the public (in the latter view, beyond
comparifon the moft deferable), will be glorioufly
anfwered. To the GOD of MERCY I commend myfelf
and it.

ARTICLE

( 13 )
ARTICLE I.
" There is but one living and true God, ever-
" lafting, without body, parts, or paffions; of
44 infinite power, wifdom, and .goodnefs; tha
" maker and preferver of all things, both vifible
44 and invifible." This one great and glorious
Being, the Father of all his rational creatures,
decreed from all eternity that he would more ef
pecially, in a figurative fenfe be the Father of the
chriftian world ; that he would alfo endue with
-e '
divine power and wifdom, with a participation as
it were of his godhead and fubftance, or divine
nature, a Man, who, in the Scripture language,
on account of his miraculous conception and un
limited endowments of the Spirit, by way of
eminence and diftinclion, is called the Son of God;
and, thirdly, that .he would impart to the dif-
ciples of Chrift, and to their immediate followers,
the gift of prophecy and of working many and
ftupendous miracles, which, in: the NewTeftament
is termed the Holy Spirit, as in the Old it is ftyled
the Spirit or breath of God.
1 ARTICLE II.
44 The Son, which is the Word," or wifdom,
44 of the Father," or who was endued by the Father
with divine wifdom, decreed by the Almighty
from everlafiing to appear as the reprefentative of
the very and eternal GW, was fupernaturally conceived
in the womb of a virgin; and thus the divine attri
butes of power and wifdom were joined with, the
human nature, and united in the perfon of the
Lord Chrift, who, by virtue of his miraculous
conception, fupernatural endowments, and moft
important office, was truly a divine being, as well
as a man ; who fuffered, not in appearance, as
fome ancient vifionaries fuppofed, but in reality %
B 3 who

( 14 )
who was crucified, dead, and buried, that he mighjt
fupply us with the moft efficacious motives to
obey his righteous laws, and thus qualify, us for
the mercy of his and our heavenly Father ; and, to
effect this infinitely gracious purpofe, he furren-
dered up his life a figurative facrifice to God for us,
that by giving the fulleft proof of a future ftate of
retribution, he might not only influence us to con
fine our natural paffions and appetites within the
boundaries of redfitude, but alfo incite men to true
arid perfedt repentance for fins actually committed.
ARTICLE III.
44 As Chrift died for us, and was buried, fo
44 alfo is it to be believed that he" continued for
fome time in the ftate of the dead.
ARTICLE IV.
44 Christ did truly rife again from death, and"
appeared again in 44 his body, with flefh, bones,
" and all things appertaining to the perfedtion of
44 man's nature, wherewith" in the prefence of
ni's difciples he was taken up, a cloud receiving
him out of their fight ; and his mortal body being
changed to a glorified body, he 4' afcended into
44 heaven, and there" abideth in a .highly exalted
ftate, 4C until he return to judge all men at the laft
«4 day."
ARTICLE V.
4< The Holy Ghoft," or Divine Spirit, or
efficacious Power of God 44 proceeding frorn the
44 Father, and" through the appointment of the
Supreme Being, promifed to the firft chriftians,
and imparted by " the Son, is" the glorious power
oi the Father's fubftance, or nature, and was made
moft evident to the human race in the works, and
wifdom of our Lord, the Sen of God, and is truly and

«

C 15 )
and from everlafiing Divine, or a property of the
one eternal God.
ARTICLE VI.
A complete rule of Faith.
ARTICLE VII.
44 The old Teftament is not contrary to the
new ; for, both in the old and new Teftament,
44 everlafiing life is offered to mankind by" the
prophecies concerning Chrift in the old, and by
his own promifes and refurredtion in the new; •
44 who is the only" perfect " mediator between
44 God and Man, being both" the immediate re
prefentative of God by appointment and delegated
power ; and, as it were, Divine, by virtue of his
miraculous conception, and 44 being Man," like
unto, his brethren, fubjedt to all the infirmities of
human nature. 44 Wherefore they are not to be
44 heard, &c, &c, &c."
ARTICLE VIII.
44 The three Creeds,  , ought thoroughly
*4 to be received and believed, (afar as they may
44 be proved by mofi certain warrants of holy Scrip-?
44 ture." To render this article confiftent with the
fixth, it fhould feem neceflary to underftand it in
this reftrained fenfe. Query. If this interpretation
be altogether ad verfe to the politi venefs of the
words,— -Father of mercy !
ARTICLE IX.
Original fin is not the mere following of
Adam in tranfgreffing a pofitive law of God, but
is that corruption of the human race, by which
man hath very far deviated from the original fn-r
nocence of our firft parents, and is become, as it
were, naturally inclined to give too mucfi way to
appetite and paffion, (6 that the flefhly and fpiritual
B 4 principles

( 16 )
principles are too frequently at variance; and
therefore no man is perfedtly pure in the eyes of
the God of Holinefs; and confequently meriteth
not his favour. And this natural infedlion ad-
hereth even to fincere chriftians, by which the
fiefhly principle is not altogether fubjedl to the law
of God. And though Mercy and Acceptance are
promifed, if we fincerely endeavour to obey the
laws of Chrift, yet our frequent frailties are more
than fufficiently finful to keep us humble, and
fupplicants for pardon.
ARTICLE X.
Man, in a ftate of nature, without other
afliftance and fupport than the inferences of his
own reafon, without any certain direction from
Heaven, experience fhews us, is not equal to the
knowledge of the complete duties of religion.
Chriftianity alone fupplied us with the mocives
and fanftions to improve our nature to the utmoft,
and this free gift of God is held forth to incite our
moft earneft endeavours to live righteoufly, foberly,
and godlily, to which we are alfo encouraged by
the animating prolpe<5t of divine afliftance.
ARTICLE XI,
To be accounted righteous, or to be juftified,
in the true fenfe of the texts through both the
Teftaments, generally means to be received into
a ftate of favour. We Chriftians have received
the bleffing of God's revealed will, and his pro
mife of eternal happinefs, not becaufe the works
and defervings of our forefathers merited fo inef-
timable a favour, or that our own good deeds can
ever entitle us to an eternity of happinefs; but the
Gofpel promife is the. free gift of God through
Jefus Chrift, who, by an uniform fubmiflion and
obedience to the gracious defign of his and our
heavenly Father, merited the reward of being held
forth

( i7.)
forth as the Saviour of the world from the power
and punifhment of fin. And this falvation is to
be attained by fuch a firm perfuafion of the truth
of his divine miflion, as fhall influence us to the
utmoft poffible rectitude of condudl. 4e For Chrift
44 came to purify unto himfdf a peculiar people,
44 zealous of good works."
ARTICLE XII.
Though good works, which are the effects of
religious principle, and the natural confequence
of a firm belief in the gofpel, cannot render us
perfect in the fight of God, or entitle us, inde
pendently of the divine mercy and goodnefs, to
everlafiing happinefs ; yet are they pleating and
acceptable to God, as being confonant to his com
mands delivered through Jefus Chrift. And fo
clearly do they arife from an influential perfuafion
of the great truths contained in the gofpel, that
by them the principles of a true Chriftian may be
as evidently known, as a tree is difcerned by the
fruit. ARTICLE XIII.
Works done by -our remote anceftors before
the promulgation of the gofpel, or at this time
by thofe who are ignoraht of its important truths
and efficacious principles, are not comparatively
lb acceptable to God ; as they cannot be attended
with that uniform incitement to right action,
which fprings from a knowledge and belief of
Chriftianity ; neither can they, independent of the
Divine goodnefs, make men meet to receive the
ineftimable benefits promifed to Chriftians. Be-
fides, they may naturally "be fuppofed to contain a
much greater degree of imperfection than fuch
as are performed in compliance with the declared
will of God. But ftill we muft ever bear in mind, that

[ i8 ]
that GoA is the Father of all men, and that he
will judge the world in righteoufnefs ; that every
equitable allowance will be made for the effect of
ignorance which is not Voluntary; that as more
will be expected from Chriftians, in proportion to
Iheir fupefior light, fo to every man that worketh
good, whether Heathen, Mahometan, Jew, or Chrif
tian ; glory, honour, and peace, will be propor-
tionably imparted in the day, when God by Jefus
Chrift will judge and adjuft the infcrutable moral
circumftances of the world; for he will render to
every man according to his deeds.
ARTICLE XIV.

ARTICLE XV.
44 Christ  • came to be the lamb without
44 fpot, who, by his exemplary facrifice of obe
dience and fubmiflion to his heavenly Father, both
in his life and in his death, and alfo. by his refur-
redtion, which is a pattern and aflurance of that
refurredtion he hath promifed to us, might fupply
the world with 'motives fufficient to take away the
power' and punifhment of fin.
ARTICLE XVI.
44 Not every dangerous fin, willingly commit-
44 ted after" our fincere profeffion of Chriftianity,
is the unpardonable " fin againft the Holy Ghoft"
defcribed by our Lord, and which was peculiar to
the unbelieving Jews of the firft age, who blaf-
phemed his divine miracles. Wherefore that a
Chriftian,"* who hatla fallen into fin, may afterwards
repent and obtain forgivenefs from his heavenly
Judge, 44 is not to be denied." After the fulleft
convidtion of the truth '4 we may depart" from
the gracious terms of acceptance, " and fall into
" fin,"

( 19 )
" fin," and by the fuperintending providence qf
God " we may rife again, and amend our lives."
ARTICLE XVII.
The gofpel-promife of eternal life was 44 the
" everlafiing purpofe of God; by which before
44 the foundations of the world were laid, he de-
44 creed," in his infcrutable wifdom, to reveal his
gracious intention, by Jefus Chrift, gradually to
the human race, who were thus fupplied with the
moft powerful motive, namely, the promife of
44 everlafiing falvation," to deliver them from the
power and punifhment of fin. Therefore fuch, as
have already been made partakers of this inefti-
mable bleffing, are become Chriftians at the pe
riod which for them feemed moft fuitable to the
divine wifdom ; through the divine afliftance they
fincerely endeavour to obey'Chrift's commands j
they become entitled to the glorious privileges
proffered them by God of his own free benefi
cence; they fucceed to. the blefled appellation,
formerly beftowed on the Jews, but now imparted
to all fincere Chriftians, of fons of God ; they re
verently tread in the fteps of their Lord and Maf-
ter; 4' they walk religioufly in good works, and
44 at length, by God's mercy, they attain to ever-
44 lafting felicity."
As the religious confideration of the Divine be
nevolence towards thofe in particular, to whom
the gofpel is revealed, 44 is full of comfort" to
pious minds, fuch as are fenfible of the fupport
which the knowledge of thofe fandtions of mora
lity held forth in the gofpel, hath tended to efta
bhfh, and are confcious of thofe encouragements
to fervid gratitude and reliance upon God> which
it hath conferred : 44 fo, for curious and fenfual
44 perfons," deftitute of religious principle, and
by evil habits fixed, as it were, in the fervitude
6 oi

[ 20 ]
of fin,,44 to have continually before their eyes" the
judgment of God againft fuch evil courfes, if it
do not rouze them from their torpid infatuation, it
hath a contraiy and moft fatal effect, either
plunging them " into defperation, or into wretch-
" edneis of unclean living, no lefs perilous than
44 defperation.""¦ Furthermore we muft receive God's pro-
44 mife in fuch wife, as they be generally fet forth
44 to us' in holy fcripture."
N. B. The former part of this article muft be
rendered confiftent with the concluding caution;
and this difficult tafkl have attempted.
ARTICLE XVIII.
That doctrine alfo is to be rejected which
44 prefumeth to fay" that eternal life is truly prof
fered to mankind by any other religion befide
that which hath Chrift for its author ; or that the
certain means of attaining it may be difcovered
by any other law or fedt. For the fcripture ex
prefsly afferteth that, as obedient difciples of Jefss
Chrift, we have the only certain fecurity of ob
taining the gift of everlafiing happinefs.
ARTICLE XIX.

ARTICLE XX.
The church of England, or any Chriftian fo-
ciety, hath power to decree fuch rites and cere
monies, as accord with the apoftle's diredtion, that
all things be done to edification, to order, and to
peace; and it hath " authority fo to expound one
44 place of fcripture, that it be not repugnant to
44 another. Wherefore — &c."

ARTICLE

ARTICLES XXI. XXII.

ARTICLE XXIII.
It is contrary to order and to peace for any man
to take upon himfelf the office of a minifter, be
fore he be called to execute the fame, according
to the rules of the fociety to which he fhall join
himfelf.
ARTICLE XXIV.

tc

ARTICLE XXV.
44 Sacraments ordained of Chrift are not
only badges or tokens of Chriftian men's pro-
feflion ; but rather they are," as it were, hifto^
rical teftimonies, and affecting fymbols of the fa
vour and beneficence of God in the promulgation
of the gofpel-covenant, and of his gracious pro
mifes to fincere difciples of his Son : by meditat
ing on which our hearts are fo framed that we
are not only excited to, but " ftrengthened and
44 confirmed" in, religious obedience.
There are two facraments, &c. &c.
ARTICLE XXVI.

ARTICLE XXVII.
44 Baptism is not only a fign of profeffion
44 and mark of difference whereby Chriftian men
44 are" generally diftinguifhed from others, but,
in the original form o*f adminiftering the rite, it
was a fymbol of an entrance on a new hte, (in op-
pofition

[ 22 ]
pofition to the former ftate of ignorant heathe-
nifm) a life of holinefs and fincere obedience to
the laws of our Saviour. By fulfilling thefe terms
alone we are now true members of Chrift's
church : to thefe only the promifes of forgivenefs
of fin, and of our adoption to be fons of Godr
are annexed. And this our covenant was con
firmed to us at its promulgation by the miracles
which proceeded from the Spirit, or power of God.
By the continuance of this rite, which is a tranf-
mitted memorial of the truth of our religion, our
faith is ftrengthened, and the gracious means of
falvation are promoted 44 by virtue of prayer to
God. The baptifm of young children is retained
by the church of England, as thought moft '4 a-
44 greeable with the inftitution of Chrift."
ARTICLE XXVIII.
44 The Supper of the Lord is not only a fign of
*4 the love that Chriftians ought tp have among
44 themfelves, one to another;" but alfo is an
atteftation of our belief that eternal life was truly
revealed by our Savioyr, for an effedtual function
of right conduct; who died and rofe again to con
firm the truth of his doctrine, and to redeem us
from all iniquity. To fuch, therefore, 44 as
" rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the
44 fame, the bread which we break is" declaratory
of our profeffing purfelvps fincere members of that
religion, for the eftablifhment of which the Body of
Chrift was broken on the crofs; and likewife the
Cup of Bleffing we drink in remembrance of his
Blood, which was fhed for the fame moft bene
ficent purpofe. transubstantiation, &c.
The dodtrine of Chrift, for the fealing of which
he fubmitted to be flain, and his bodv to be cruci fied.

• '( 23 )
fied, is, in the figurative language ot Scripture,
eaten, and fymbolically received' in the Lord's
fupper. And this can only be received by the
medium of faith, for 44 he that cometh to God,"
or to the great teacher fent by God, '4 muft believe
44 that he is a rewarder of them that diligently
44 feek him." ARTICLE XXIX.
The wicked and unbelievers, although they out
wardly profefs themfelves Chrift's difciples, by
receiving bread and wine, the memorials of his
body and blood; 44 yet in no wife do they partake
44 of" the promifes. which Chrift engaged fhould
be fulfilled to his obedient fervants ; 44 but rather,
44 to their condemnation," do they hypocritically
and profanely pollute the moft folemn rite of our
religion. ARTICLE XXX.

ARTICLE XXXI,
The laft offering of obedience to death Once
made hy Chrift, completed hi* part ef the fcheme
formed by Divine benevolence, to furnifh mankind
with motives for departing from iniquity, and with
terms eafy to be fulfilled for reconciling the God of
Holinefs to his erring creatures of the human race,
and on which he would be fatisfied with their
fincere, though imperfect, obedience, and would par
don the. tranfmitted corruption «and enormous
finfulnefs -which filled the world at the period when
the gofpel was promulged. And there is no other
fcheme of reconciliation expreffiy revealed, bijt
this alone. *4 Wherefore, &c.

AR

TICJ.E

( 23 > .
ARTICLE XXXII.

ARTICLE XXXIII.
That perfon, who, by open denunciation pr
llie 4C whole Chriftian . fociety, to which he had!
**; joined himfelf, is rightly cut off, &c, &c."
1ST. B, In "the prefent ftate, of things,-, the right
performance of this act is next to impofliS^u
ARTICLE XXXIV.

N. B. Let the whole Church, laity as well as;
tlergy, judge the fuppofed offender; not the
^rgy alone. &R Ti.GtE XXXV,
44 neceflary for thefe times"

i. e. When the Articles were compiled.
ARTICLES XXXVL XXXVII. XXXVIII. XXXIX*

T H 1 END*

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