LECTURE V. ARTICLES OF RELIGION. THE ARGUMENT. DIFFICULTIES OF THE SUBJECT-APPARENT SUFFICIENCY OF THE SCRIPTURES WITH THE CREEDS, AS RULE AND SYMBOL-ADDITIONS MADE TO THEM BY THE CHURCH OF ROME-THE ENCROACHMENTS OF THAT CHURCH ON ONE SIDE LED TO REMONSTRANCES ON THE OTHER -HENCE ARTICLES OF RELIGION-DISTINCTION BETWEEN CREEDS AND ARTICLES-CREEDS UNIVERSAL, ARTICLES SPECIAL-ARTICLES DEVISED FOR SELF-REGULATION AND SELF-DEFENCE OF PARTICULAR CHURCHESAUTHORITY OF EACH BRANCH OF THE CHURCH TO ORDAIN ARTICLESIT IS IN THE ARTICLES THAT WE ARE PROTESTANTS AGAINST BOTH ROMANISTS AND DISSENTERS-SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLES TO SHOW THIS-DEFENCE OF OUR ARTICLES AGAINST THE ROMANISTS AS NOT BEING CATHOLIC-DEFENCE OF THEM AGAINST DISSENTERS AS BEING EXCLUSIVE-TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD PROTESTANT-WHY OUR ARTICLES ARE NOT SIGNED BY ALL-WHY THEY SHOULD BE SIGNED BY SOME-USE OF THEM IN PROTECTING THE CHURCH FROM HERESY AND ERROR. H LECTURE V. ARTICLES OF RELIGION. Hebrews vi. 1, 2, 3. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. We are now arrived at a stage in our inquiries, in which our path becomes less distinct as we advance, from the numerous ways which diverge from it. We have ascertained the plenary Authority and Inspiration of Scripture; and have attempted to fix those elementary and fundamental principles of the interpretation of it, which have received the sanction and impress of the whole Catholic Church, and out of which, if they are really based on a sound foundation, all minor details of doctrine and duty ought to spring. It does not appear-had that spirit of unity and of peace, which our great Head and Master so solemnly bequeathed to his Church, been permitted to have its perfect workthat more than this would have been necessary to make the flock of Christ one fold under one shepherd, and render the Church militant on earth, in its outward piety and internal peace, an emblem and an earnest of the happy condition of the Church triumphant in heaven. For, there are the Scriptures, an unexhausted well of Truth; there are the Creeds, vessels to draw with-sufficiently simple, in their elementary meaning, to be understood by every candidate for admission into the Christian household; sufficiently comprehensive, in their ultimate bearings, to give scope for the edification of that household in every mystery of doctrine, and refinement of practice, which it may require, in the Apostle's words, "to go on unto perfection." The Creeds are full of doctrine. them we profess our belief in God and his attributes; in Christ and his offices; in the Holy Ghost In 1" Since, then, the emperors made the summary of the Apostles' Creed to be the rule of discerning Catholics from heretics, it follows that the Roman Church Catholic signifies something else than it did in the Primitive Church. St. Ambrose says, 'Faith is conceived by the Apostles' Creed;' all faith lies in that, as the child in the mother's womb; and he compares it to a key, because 'by it the darknesses of the devil are unlocked, that the light of Christ may come upon us; and the hidden sins of conscience are opened that the manifest works of righteousness may shine. This key is to be shown to our brethren, that by this, as scholars of St. and his influence;-in the Holy Catholic Church, and thereby in its unity, its ministers, its sacraments, its authority, its universal truths;-in the communion of saints-the common mind, union, 6 Peter, they may shut the gates of hell, and open the doors of heaven.' He also calls it, 'The seal of our heart, and the sacrament of our warfare.'-St. Jerome speaking of it, says, "The symbol of our faith and hope, which was delivered by the Apostles, is not written in paper and ink, but in the fleshly tables of our hearts. After the confession of the Trinity, and unity of the Church, the whole, or every sacrament, of the Christian religion, is concluded with the resurrection of the flesh.' Which words are intimated, and in part transcribed by Isidore, of Seville. Ruffinus says, the Apostles being to separate, and go to their several charges, appointed Normam futuræ prædicationis, regulam dandam credentibus, unanimitatis et fidei suæ indicium;' 'The rule of what they were to preach to all the world, the measure for believers, the index of faith and unity;' 'Not any speech, not so much as one, even of them that went before them in the faith, was admitted or heard by the Church.'-' By this Creed the foldings of infidelity are loosed; by this, the gate of life is set open; by this, the glory of confession is shown. It is short in words, but great in sacraments. It confirms all men with the perfection of believing, with the desire of confessing, with the confidence of the resurrection. Whatsoever was prefigured in the patriarchs, whatsoever is declared in the Scriptures, whatsoever was foretold in the prophets, of God who was not begotten, of the Son of God, who is the only begotten of God, of the Holy Spirit,' &c. Totum hoc breviter, juxta oraculum propheticum, symbolum in se continet confitendo' So St. Austin-who also calls it, The fulness of them that believe.'-'It is the rule of faith, the short, the certain 6 |