learned divines of this country may be reckoned Abp. Cranmer, Bp. Parkhurst, Mr. Latimer, Abp. Parker, Bp. Grindal, Abp. Whitgift, Bp. Ridley, and Mr. Gualter, with many others equally celebrated for their piety and abilities; who affembled and met together at two Convocations held firft in the year of our Lord 1562, and again in the reign of our late moft gracious Majesty Queen ELIZABETH in 1571, and again in 1604, and by divine providence they have continued (tho' often fhaken) unto this day: May the Lord ftill continue them, to his glory, and to the good of his Church and people. Mr. Rogers has likewife taken much pains to collect together the names of all the particular perfons, fects, and denominations, who at firft oppofed and denied thofe Articles: a few of them I may occafionally mention, but their names are of no use to us: we have enough well known among us now, to fight againft: may the God of all power give us ftrength and courage to do it, to his Honor and Glory, through Jelus Chrift our Lord. Amen. As an eminent Gospel Minifter of this City has lately enforced upon his hearers, the reading the 39 Articles, I would therefore exhort every one attentively to read the Articles firft, before they confult these Notes and Obfervations upon them. The EDITOR. THE TABLE OF THE ARTICLES. F Faith in the Holy Trinity ART. I. 2. 3. Of Chrift's going down into Hell 4. Of his Refurrection 7 5. Of the Holy Ghoft 9 6. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures, &c. 10 II. 7. Of the Old Testament 8. Of the three Creeds 9. Of Original or Birth-fin 10. Of Free Will 11. Of Juftification of Man 13. Of Works before Juftification 16. Of Sin after Baptifm 17. Of Predeftination and Election 18. Of obtaining Salvation only by Chrift zo. Of the Authority of the Church 21. Of the Authority of General Councils 23. Of Ministering in the Congregation 24. Of fpeaking in the Congregation 25. Of the Sacraments 26. Of the Unworthinefs of Ministers 27. Of Baptifm 28. Of the Lord's Supper Page 1 4 34. Of the Traditions of the Church 36. Of Confecration of Ministers 13, 14 17 19 20 +21 23 24 25 26 39 41 43 44 29. Of the Wicked, which eat not the Body of Chrift 45 30. Of both kinds 46 31. Of Chrift's one Oblation ibid. 32. Of Marriage of Priefts 33. Of excommunicate Perfons 27 30 LIS 31 32 34 35 37 38 47 48 ibid. 50 51 53 55 56 EXPLICATIOΝ OF THE Thirty-nine ARTICLES, &c. ART. I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity. Tlafting, HERE is but one living and true God, everlafting, without body, parts, or paffions; of infinite power, wifdom, and goodness; the Maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invifible. And in unity of this Godhead there be three Perfons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. But one living and true God.] " That there is fuch a Being, "which we in English call God, (Heb. Elohim) is manifeft from the order of causes; which must derive its origin from fome "first felf exiftent caufe. From the very idea or notion of a "God, which implies in itself a necessary existence. From the "origin and goverment of the world. The heavens and the earth, "&c. which all declare his glory; Pfal. xix. 1, 4, and from con fent of all nations, people and languages. The prophecies "and miracles, both of the Old and New Teftament; and like"wife the witneffes of the apoftles, and all the Primitive Fa. thers, together with many other holy and learned men; who all "" agree, There is but one living and true God." And this is clearly proved from the following Texts of Scripture: 1. God said unto Mofes, I AM that 1 AM, Exod. iii. 14. And thou shalt have none other gods but me. Exod. xx. 3. Deut. xxxii. 39. The Lord our God is one Lord, Deut. vi. 4. And there is none other God befide Jehovah," Deut. iv. 35. Ifa. xliv. 6.-xlv. 5, 6. See also, 1 Cor. viii. 4, 6. There is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and Eph. iv. 6.-The living God. 2 Cor. vi. 16. The true God. Pfal. xxxv. 2. 2 Chron. xv. 3. Jer. x. A 10. 10. And this (faith St. John) is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God. John xvii, 3. and i Theff. i. 9. I Everlasting.] "He is the everlafting God, Gen. xxi. 33. Ifa. Ix. 28. without beginning, without end." From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God, Pfal. xli. 13. xc. 2. xciii. 2. And everlasting King, Jer. x. 10. who only bath immortality, Heb. i. 8, 12. 1 Tim. vi. 16. The Alpha and the Omega ; the beginning and the ending, of all Things. Rev. i. 4, 11. And therefore (as St. Paul faith) He that cometh unto God, muft believe that he is, Heb. xi. 6. The Almighty, Eternal, Invisible self-existent Jehovah, God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come, 1 Tim. i. 17. Rev. iv. 8. Without Body] As relative to God the Father, this is undoubtedly true: "For the form or shape of God is ineffable and inexpref fible, and cannot be feen with our bodily eyes." God is a Spirit, faith our Lord, whom no man bath seen, or can see, for a Spirit bath no body or flesh, fee John i. 18. iv. 24. Luke xxiv. 39. and I Tim. vi, 16. Parts or Paffions, &c.] Impertibilis, Lat. That is incapable of being divided or paffions, as we in English exprefs it; though the fcripture indeed (in condefcenfion to our weak capacities) seems to attribute unto God those members, as Eyes, Ears, Hands, &c. Alfo Love, anger, hatred, &c. For 'tis faid, That God is God was angry angry with the wicked every day, Pfal. vii. 11. with Mofes and Aaron, Deut. ix. 20. but all this is only fpoken to come down to man's weakness, and to his better understanding the wonderful works of God. For God is a moft fimple effence; as by the name Jehovah, in Gen. xv. 7. Amos ix. q. not fubject to paffions as man, fee Acts xiv. 14. But immutable, always infinitely happy, admitting of no change, &c. Pfal. cii. 26, 27. and Jam. i. 7. Of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness,] 1ft," His power," all power belongeth unto God, Pfal. lxii. 11. with God all things are poffible, Matt. xix. 26. All things are present before him. --By the Word of his power, (faith St. Clement) were all things made, and by a word he can destroy them; for he is God Almighty. Gen. xxxiv. 11, He can do every thing, faith Job. He killeth, and be maketh alive, Job xlii. 2. Pfal. cxv. 3. But he is good to all, and his mercy is over all his works, Pfal. cxlv. 7, 9. Matt. xix. Luke xviii. 19. See allo SCOTT's Chriftian Rev, Mr, Romaine's first discourse on the 66. Mark x. 10, Life, zd part, 242, Apofiles Creed, The 99 The maker and preferver of all things.] "That this World is not eternal, neither did it arise by chance, is plain from fcripture." The royal pfalmift fays, By the word of the Lord, i. e. Chrift, were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth, or fpirit. Pfalm xxxiii. 6. Again, "In the beginning, (i. e. of time) God created the heavens and the earth, the fea, &c. See Gen. i. 1, 4. Pfalm cxxiv. 8. "cxxxiv. 4. and cxlvi. 6. Acts iv: 24." The Father by the "Son, or Word, made the worlds :" aud by him alone were all things created. See 1 John i. 2. Col. i. 16, 17. Heb. i. 2. and xi. 3. &c. And in Unity of this Godhead, there be three Perfons, &c.] This is that mystery of mysteries which the world, the carnal minded, cannot fee, neither will they in any wife believe it; for as St. Paul declareth, 1 Cor. i. 21. The world by wisdom, (their own wifdom) knew not God. But every teachable willing mind, affifted by divine grace, who carefully reads the holy fcriptures, may clearly fee and diftinguish a Trinity of Perfons in the facred Deity.-In the Old Teftament God is frequently ftiled Elohim, which fignifies plurality; as in Gen. i. 26. Let us make Man in our Image. This plainly denotes a plurality of perfons, fee also Gen. iii. 1, 5, 13.2 Sam. chap. vii; but in Ifa. chap. vi. 3. is a ftronger proof of a Trinity, where the Angels cried one to another with adoration, Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord God of Hofts; the Almighty, Rev. iv. 8.-In the New Teftament nothing is more plain. At the Baptifm of Chrift, was heard the Father's voice; the Son, present in perfon; and the Holy Ghoft defcending upon him, Matt. iii. 17. Mark i. 10. And by the words of Chrift himself, in bis promife to his difciples. See John chap. xiv. 26.-xv. 26. See also Acts i. 4, 8. clearly proves a Trinity; and St. John fays, There be three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft; and these three are one, 1 John v. 7.—" In effence 66 one; yet in perfons three." (Nicene Creed) alfo St. Peter, 2 Pet. i. 17, 18. 21. and again our bleffed Lord's own words, when he gave commandment that his gospel should be preached to all nations; faying, "Go teach all nations, and baptize them in the Name of the Father, of the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Matt. xxviii. 19. Alfo St. Paul, The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 7 A 2 2 Cor, |