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 Majefty 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 first 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 Minister 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. 46790 6. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures, &c. 10 20. Of the Authority of the Church 21. Of the Authority of General Councils 23. Of Miniftering in the Congregation 24. Of fpeaking in the Congregation 25. Of the Sacraments 26. Of the Unworthinefs of Minifters 27. Of Baptifm 28. Of the Lord's Supper 29. Of the Wicked, which eat not the Body of Christ 45 EXPLICATION OF THE Thirty-nine ARTICLES, &c. T ART. I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity. 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 invisible. 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 manifest from the order of caufes; which muft derive its origin from some "first felf exiftent caufe. From the very idea or notion of a "God, which implies in itself a neceflary 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 apostles, 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. lxxxiv. 2. 2 Chron. xv. 3. Jer. x. Gen. xxi. 33. Ifa. 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. Everlasting.]" He is the everlafting God, lx. 28. without beginning, without end." 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 fhape 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 hath 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 angry with the wicked every day, Pfal. vii. 11. God was angry 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 most simple effence; as by the name Jehovah, in Gen. xv. 7. Amos ix. 9. not fubject to paffions as man, fee A&ts 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 prefent before him. By the Word of his power, (faith St. Clement) were all things made, and by a word he can deftroy 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. 66. Mark x. 10, Luke xviii. 19. See alfo SCOTT's Chriftian Life, zd part, 242, Rev, Mr, Romaine's first difcourfe on the Apofles Creed, The 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 myfteries 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 stiled 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 promise 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 "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 gofpel fhould 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 Ghoft, Matt. xxviii. 19. Alfo St. Paul, The grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 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