22. Of speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the People understandeth.

It is plainly repugnant to the Scripture, to have public Prayer in the Church, or to minister the Sacraments in a Tongue which the People do not understand.

23. Of the Sacraments.

Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian Mens' Profession; but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace, and God's good-will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our Faith in him.

There are only two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.

Those five, by some called Sacraments, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, nor thought equal to the two special Institutions of our Saviour.

The latter part of this Article I omit, as the first sentence is found nearly in same meaning at the end of 28th Article, and the second sentence corresponds with the 29th Article.

24. Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the Effect of the Sacraments.

This Article wants no amendment,

25. Of Baptism.

The words may remain the same.

26. Of the Lord's Supper.

The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the Love

that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another but rather is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christ's Death: insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily, and with Faith receive the same, the Bread, as St. Paul says, "which we break is the Communion of the Body of Christ, and likewise the cup of Blessing which we bless is the Communion of the Blood of Christ."

Transubstantiation (or the change of the Substance of Bread and Wine in the Supper of the Lord) is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture. The words that I speak unto you, saith our Saviour, they are Spirit, and they are Life.

The rest of the Article may remain unaltered.

27. Of the Wicked, who do not eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of Christ, in the Use of the Lord's Supper.

In the Lord's Supper, he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh Condemnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's Body. For this Cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

28. Of Both Kinds.

29. Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross.

30. Of the Marriage of Priests.

31. Of Excommunicate Persons, how they are to be avoided.

32. Of the Traditions of the Church.

These five Articles require no alteration. The two ful

1

lowing should be omitted for the reasons stated in the Appeal to Scripture.

33. Of the Civil Magistrates.

The words "the which things the Injunction also lately set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testify," may be omitted.

34. Of Christian Men's Goods, which are not common. I would erase the words "as certain Anabaptists do falsely boast."

35. Of a Christian Man's Oath.

This Article doth not appear inconsistent with Christianity; we are called unto Liberty, but we must do all things to the Glory of God, decently and in order.

I regret much, that it is necessary to take notice of two absurd and superstitious customs which some people adopt, of turning towards the East in rehearsing the Articles of the Creeds, and bowing to the Altar after receiving the Sacrament. It is the solemn and bounden duty of every Christian to abstain from every thing which has the slightest appearance of Idolatry, and never to have respect in his Devotions to any particular place of the Lord's House, but to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Pictures and Sculptures in Churches are dangerous, since they are seldom admired without some feeling of awe and respect, which may lead insensibly to superstition. Chanting the Prayers does not appear to partake of that solemnity, which is due to the Supreme Being; but our voice should be guided by the feeling of our hearts, and ought to be free from the dull monotony which is at present heard in choirs. The Hymns, Psalms, and Responses may be chanted, and the music

of our Cathedrals may be of use to animate our zeal in our Addresses to God, but the Prayers aud other parts of the Service should be read in a rational, dignified, and impressive, but not enthusiastic manner. In the long Prayer, which is used in the universities and other places before the Sermon, it is rather indiscreet to intreduce a variety of names of persons and things. Every name but the King's and Queen's should be omitted, and we should pray for the Royal Family, and for all in Authority, and for Founders of Societies, and Benefactors in general terms for it is written, "God is in Heaven, and thou upon Earth, therefore let thy Words be few.”

The opinion concerning the Deity, which I have adopted in this Treatise, appears inconsistent with that which is delivered in the Appeal to Scripture. In that work my chief aim was to remove the Doctrines of Eternal Generation and Procession, and at that time the Unity of the Divine Nature, as it is now explained, did not engage my attention. But in considering afterwards more carefully the Scripture Doctrine of the Divinity, I was lead to conclude that the Unity of the Godhead is such as I have represented it in this Treatise. In Isaiah we read " I am the Lord, that is my name, and my Glory will I not give to another. Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even 1, am the Lord; and beside me there is no Saviour. Doubtless thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer; thy name is from everlasting." Having in Scripture the most decided proofs that the Lord our God is one Lord, let us acknowledge in all our Doctrines and Rules of Faith this essential

Truth: let us prove all things, and hold fast that which is good, and let us be diligent in searching the Scriptures, that we may cast off whatever is repugnant to them; so shall we be followers of the true Wisdom. When true Religion and Obedience to the Laws of God prevail in the World, then we may expect that God will bless his people, and that the happiness of mankind will increase. These are objects which we should all be anxious to promote. The judgements which seem ready to fall on the ungodly men, who by the mischief of their vain and impious Doctrines have brought such disasters of late upon mankind, may perhaps open the eyes of all people to the sure ways of peace on earth and good-will towards men, to the glory of God. Let this nation set the example of submission under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt us in due time, and let us constantly pray that among all other nations the true Doctrines of Christianity may speedily flourish, and the earth may be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. "Then the Lord shall be King in all the earth, and in that day there shall be one Lord, and his Name One."

THE END.

JACOB, PRINTER, WINCHESTER.