The Book of Religions Part 3

Another Convention was held in Philadelphia, in June, 1786, at which, a Letter was read, from the Archbishops and Bishops of England, in answer to the Address forwarded from the preceding Convention; and another Address to the same Right Reverend Prelates, was adopted, to accompany the Ecclesiastical Const.i.tution now finally agreed upon. This Convention then adjourned, to meet again whenever answers should be received from England.

The next meeting was held at Wilmington, in Delaware, in October, 1786, at which, Letters from the English Prelates were read, and also an Act of Parliament, authorizing the consecration of Bishops for foreign places.

Sundry further amendments and modifications of the Ecclesiastical Const.i.tution, and Book of Common Prayer, were agreed upon, another Address to the English Prelates was adopted, and testimonials signed for three clergymen, who had been elected Bishops by their respective Dioceses. Two of these clergymen proceeded to England, in the course of the next month; and, after some further delays, all difficulties were finally removed, and the Rev. William White, D. D., of Philadelphia, and the Rev. Samuel Provoost, D. D., of New York, having been elected to the Bishoprics of Pennsylvania and New York, were consecrated to their high and holy office, on the fourth of February, A. D. 1787, in the chapel of the Archiepiscopal palace at Lambeth, by the Most Reverend John Moore, D. D., Archbishop of Canterbury, a.s.sisted by the Most Reverend William Markham, D. D., Archbishop of York, the Right Reverend Charles Moss, D. D., Bishop of Bath and Wells, and the Right Reverend Charles Hinchliff, D. D., Bishop of Peterborough. The newly-consecrated Bishops returned to America, April 7, 1787, and soon after, began the exercise of their Episcopal functions in their respective dioceses.

Of these three original Bishops of the Church, Bishop Seabury discharged his Episcopal duties between nine and ten years, and died, February 25, 1796. Bishop White continued to be as a patriarch of the Church for many years, his life having been prolonged to the age of 88, and the discharge of his Episcopal functions having continued forty-nine years. He died, July 17, 1836. Bishop Provoost died, September 6, 1815, in the twenty-ninth year of his Episcopate.

The first triennial Convention of the Church was held in July and August, 1789, and the sessions of this body continue to be regularly held every three years. Rev. James Madison, D. D., was consecrated Bishop of Virginia, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, September 19, 1790, and died March 6, 1812. Rev. Thomas John Claggett, D. D., of Maryland, was the first Bishop consecrated in the United States, having been elevated to that holy Order by the Right Reverend Bishops Provoost, Seabury, White, and Madison, in New York, September 17, 1792; since which time, thirty-three Bishops have been consecrated, making the whole number, thirty-eight, of whom twenty are now living. For the succession of Bishops, from the first establishment of the Church, to the present day, see _Statistics_.

The last General Convention was held in New York, in October, 1841, at which time, there were present, twenty-one Bishops, and 79 clerical and 57 lay members. The Bishops reported the consecration of 93 churches, the ordination of 355 clergymen, and the confirmation of 14,767 persons, in the years 1838 to 1841. The whole number of clergymen, at the present time, (1842,) is 1114. Other facts of interest, in relation to the Church in this Country, will be found among the Statistics of this volume; and for more full information, the reader is referred to "Swords's Pocket Almanack, Churchman's Register, and Ecclesiastical Calendar," a valuable little manual, published annually, and to the "Churchman's Almanack," also published annually; and for historical notices, reference may be made to Bishop White's "Memoirs of the Protestant Episcopal Church," Journals of the General, and State Conventions, Hawks's Ecclesiastical History of different States, and other similar works.

Articles Of Religion.

_As established by the Bishops, the Clergy, and Laity of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, in Convention, on the twelfth Day of September, in the Year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and one._

"ARTICLE I. _Of Faith in the Holy Trinity._-There is but one living and true G.o.d, everlasting, without body, parts, or pa.s.sions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker and Preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this G.o.dhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

"ART. II. _Of the Word, or Son of G.o.d, which was made very Man._-The Son, which is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlasting of the Father, the very and eternal G.o.d, of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, of her substance: so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the G.o.dhead and Manhood, were joined together in one person, never to be divided; whereof is one Christ, very G.o.d, and very Man; who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile His Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men.

"ART. III. _Of the going down of Christ into h.e.l.l._-As Christ died for us, and was buried, so also is it to be believed, that He went down into h.e.l.l.

"ART. IV. _Of the Resurrection of Christ._-Christ did truly rise again from death, and took again His body, with flesh, bones, and all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith He ascended into heaven, and there sitteth, until He return to judge all men at the last day.

"ART. V. _Of the Holy Ghost._-The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal G.o.d.

"ART. VI. _Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for __ Salvation._-Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.

"_Of the Names and Number of the Canonical Books._-Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numeri, Deuteronomium, Joshue, Judges, Ruth, The First Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, The First Book of Kings, The Second Book of Kings, The First Book of Chronicles, The Second Book of Chronicles, The First Book of Esdras, The Second Book of Esdras, The Book of Hester, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or Preacher, Cantica or Songs of Solomon, Four Prophets the greater, Twelve Prophets the less.

"And the other Books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for example of life, and instruction of manners, but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine; such are these following:

"The Third Book of Esdras, The Fourth Book of Esdras, The Book of Tobias, The Book of Judith, The Rest of the Book of Hester, The Book of Wisdom, Jesus the Son of Sirach, Baruch the Prophet, The Song of the Three Children, The Story of Susanna, Of Bel and the Dragon, The Prayer of Mana.s.ses, The First Book of Maccabees, The Second Book of Maccabees.

"All the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account them Canonical.

"ART. VII. _Of the Old Testament._-The Old Testament is not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and New Testament, everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between G.o.d and man, being both G.o.d and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard, which feign, that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises Although the law given from G.o.d by Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the civil precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any commonwealth; yet, notwithstanding, no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called Moral.

"ART. VIII. _Of the Creeds._-The Nicene Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles' Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed; for they may be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture.

"ART. IX. _Of Original or Birth-Sin._-Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk,) but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is, of his own nature, inclined to evil, so that the flesh l.u.s.teth always contrary to the Spirit; and therefore, in every person born into this world, it deserveth G.o.d's wrath and d.a.m.nation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated; whereby the l.u.s.t of the flesh, called in Greek, _Phronema sarkos_, which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the law of G.o.d. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and l.u.s.t hath of itself the nature of sin.

"ART. X. _Of Free Will._-The condition of man, after the fall of Adam, is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, and calling upon G.o.d; wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to G.o.d, without the grace of G.o.d by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.

"ART. XI. _Of the Justification of Man._-We are accounted righteous before G.o.d, only for the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification.

"ART. XII. _Of Good Works._-Albeit that good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of G.o.d's judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to G.o.d in Christ, and do spring out, necessarily, of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree discerned by the fruit.

"ART. XIII. _Of Works before Justification._-Works done before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant to G.o.d, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ, neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the school authors say) deserve grace of congruity; yea, rather, for that they are not done as G.o.d hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.

"ART. XIV. _Of Works of Supererogation._-Voluntary works, besides over and above G.o.d's commandments, which they call works of supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety; for by them men do declare, that they do not only render unto G.o.d as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for His sake than of bounden duty is required; whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

"ART. XV. _Of Christ alone without Sin._-Christ, in the truth of our nature, was made like unto us in all things, sin only except, from which He was clearly void, both in His flesh and in His spirit. He came to be a Lamb without spot, who, by sacrifice of Himself once made, should take away the sins of the world; and sin (as Saint John saith) was not in Him.

But all we the rest (although baptized and born again in Christ) yet offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

"ART. XVI. _Of Sin after Baptism._-Not every deadly sin willingly committed after baptism, is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable.

Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after baptism. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of G.o.d (we may) arise again, and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned, which say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

"ART. XVII. _Of Predestination and Election._-Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of G.o.d, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) He hath constantly decreed, by His counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and d.a.m.nation those whom He hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honor. Wherefore they, which be endued with so excellent a benefit of G.o.d, be called according to G.o.d's purpose by His Spirit working in due season: they, through grace, obey the calling: they be justified freely: they be made sons of G.o.d by adoption: they be made like the image of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, they walk religiously in good works; and at length, by G.o.d's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.

"As the G.o.dly consideration of predestination, and our election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to G.o.dly persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation, to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards G.o.d; so, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of G.o.d's predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation.

"Furthermore, we must receive G.o.d's promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture and, in our doings, that will of G.o.d is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the Word of G.o.d.

"ART. XVIII. _Of obtaining eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ._-They also are to be had accursed, that presume to say, That every man shall be saved by the law or sect which he professeth, so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that law, and the light of nature.

For Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved.

"ART. XIX. _Of the Church._-The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure Word of G.o.d is preached, and the sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.

"As the Church of Hierusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred, so also the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of ceremonies, but also in matters of faith.

"ART. XX. _Of the Authority of the Church._-The Church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies, and authority in controversies of faith; and yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to G.o.d's Word written; neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore, although the Church be a witness and a keeper of Holy Writ, yet, as it ought not to decree any thing against the same, so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation.

"ART. XXI. _Of the Authority of General Councils._(1)

"ART. XXII. _Of Purgatory._-The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, pardons, wors.h.i.+pping, and adoration, as well of images as of reliques, and also invocation of saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of G.o.d.

"ART. XXIII. _Of Ministering in the Congregation._-It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of public preaching, or ministering the sacraments in the Congregation, before he be lawfully called, and sent to execute the same. And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them in the Congregation, to call and send ministers into the Lord's vineyard.

"ART. XXIV. _Of Speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the People understandeth._-It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of G.o.d, and the custom of the primitive Church, to have public prayer in the Church, or to minister the sacraments, in a tongue not understanded of the people.

"ART. XXV. _Of the Sacraments._-Sacraments ordained of Christ, be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession; but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace, and G.o.d's good will toward 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 two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.

"Those five commonly called sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown, partly of the corrupt fallowing of the Apostles, partly are states of life allowed by the Scriptures; but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lord's Supper, for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of G.o.d.

"The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or operation; but they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves d.a.m.nation, as Saint Paul saith.

"ART. XXVI. _Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the Effect of the Sacraments._-Although in the visible Church, the evil be ever mingled with the good, and sometime the evil have chief authority in the ministration of the Word and Sacraments; yet, forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name, but in Christ's, and do minister by his commission and authority, we may use their ministry, both in hearing the Word of G.o.d, and in receiving the Sacraments. Neither is the effect of Christ's ordinance taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace of G.o.d's gifts diminished from such as, by faith, and rightly, do receive the Sacraments ministered unto them, which be effectual, because of Christ's inst.i.tution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men.

"Nevertheless, it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church, that inquiry be made of evil ministers, and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences; and finally, being found guilty, by just judgment, be deposed.

"ART. XXVII. _Of Baptism._-Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened; but it is also a sign of regeneration, or new birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church: the promises of the forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of G.o.d by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed: faith is confirmed, and grace increased by virtue of prayer unto G.o.d. The Baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained in the Church, as most agreeable with the inst.i.tution of Christ.

"ART. XXVIII. _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 it 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 which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the Cup of Blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.