had been spared a little longer." "It was much to be lamented," he concludes, "that it did not then take place, and it is to be hoped, that what was unfortunately denied to the Church, through the premature death of the King, may be effected in the happier times of our most gracious Queen Elizabeth, in concurrence with the authority of Parliament, and the favourable suffrages of the learned." Although this collection of statutes did not obtain the force and authority of law, they cannot be regarded, under the circumstances of their origin, without great respect. They will be found, if not perfectly corresponding in every syllable with the tenour of the authorized Articles and Formularies, yet to vary in so few instances, as not to diminish their value as a parallel and elucidation. In some cases, expressions which have been deemed of doubtful significancy, are here paraphrased so as to banish all doubt; and synonymous expressions often confirm the generally received sense of a passage, capable of more than one interpretation. For this reason, and because the work has not ever, to the Author's knowledge, been introduced to the English reader, except in the epitome of it given in Burnet's History of the Reformation, those few chapters are here subjoined, which are omitted in the regular course of the present work, in consequence of their not being required for illustration; which, together with those that are incorporated, make up the entire sum of the prin cipal sections, relative to doctrine; namely, those entitled-Of the Holy Trinity and the Catholic Faith,-Of Heresies,-and Of Sacraments. The references to the pages of this work, will point out where the intermediate chapters are introduced. But first it may be well to give, as it stands, SECT. The Table of Titles of the Contents. 1. Of the Holy Trinity and the Catholic Faith. 2. Of Heresies. 3. Of Judgments against Heresies. 4. Of Blasphemy. 5. Of Sacraments. 6. Of Idolatry. 7. Of Preachers. 8. Of Matrimony. 9. Of Prohibited Degrees. 10. Of Adultery and Di vorce. 11. Of Admission to Eccle siastical Benefices. 12. Of the Renunciation of Benefices. 13. Of the Exchange of Benefices. 14. Of Purgation. 15. Of Dilapidations. 16. Of Alienation of Church Property. 17. Of Election. SECT. 18. Of Conferring Benefices. 19. Of Divine Offices. 20. Of the Church and its 21. Of Church Wardens. 24. Of Visitations. 25. Of Wills. 26. Of Ecclesiastical Pun- 27. Of Suspension. 33. Of Suits. 34. Of the Office of Judges. 35. Of Declaration and An swer. 36. Of Oaths. 37. Of the Oath against Calumny. Of the Holy Trinity and the Catholic Faith. Of the Christian Faith, that it is to be embraced and professed by all. Chap. 1. Inasmuch as the regal power, and right of administering the laws are delegated to us by God, the foundation of our work is to be laid in the same God. Concerning whose nature, when it shall have been rightly and orderly determined, the provision to be made for the remaining laws will be a more easy matter-those laws, which we have sedulously prepared, for the purpose of establishing the true worship of God in our dominions, and of preserving the state of the Church. Wherefore, we will and order, that all men, to whom, in any manner, our authority pertains, should embrace and profess the Christian religion. Against which obligation they who offend in thought or deed, alienate God by their impiety. But we, who are servants of the Divine Majesty, decree, that those who are obstinately guilty of such criminal enormity, shall be deprived by law, of their privileges, and even eventually of life. And this shall be put in execution against all persons subject to our dominion, by whatever name, place, or condition, they may be enrolled. What is to be thought of Councils. Chap. 14. But although we willingly yield great honour to Councils, especially to general ones, yet we judge that they are to be ranked far beneath the Canonical Scriptures, and that it is necessary to discriminate even between those Councils themselves. For some of them, such as the few chief Councils, the Nicene, the Constantinopolitan, the Ephesian, and Calcedonian, we respect and embrace with great reverence. The same judgment we also give with regard to many others which were afterwards holden, in which we see and confess, that the holy Fathers have most gravely and piously determined, according to Scripture, many things relating to the blessed and glorious Trinity, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, and the Redemption of Man purchased by Him. To these, however, we think, that our faith ought not further to be tied down, than as they are confirmed by Holy Writ. For it is manifest, that some Councils have erred, and have decreed things at variance with each other, partly in matters of law, and partly also in faith. Councils are, indeed, to be regarded with honour and Christian reverence; but, at the same time, they are to be examined by the sacred, certain, and right rule of Scripture. What is the Authority of the Holy Fathers. Chap. 15. Lastly, we consider, that the authority of the orthodox Fathers, is by no means to be despised, -for many things are spoken of them well and usefully. But we do not admit that the sacred Text is to be judged of by their opinion: for the sacred Writers themselves should be the one rule and standard of every Christian doctrine. Moreover, the Fathers themselves refuse to accept so much honour, often admonishing the reader, that he should allow their opinions and interpretations only so far as he considers them to agree with the inspired Writings. There remains, therefore, to them their own authority and due reverence, but their opinion, with regard to the sacred Writings, yields, and is subject to the truth and authority of these Scriptures themselves. CHAP. 16. Vol. i. p. 59. |