cisions are not of irrefragable authority; as for instance, the synods of Carthage, of Iconium, and Synnada, in the question of heretical baptism, were counteracted by the decrees of a Roman synod, by the council of Arles, and by an African synod; and the question has remained in some degree disputed ever since. It should be observed also, that no synod held in the east or west since the division in 1054, can even pretend to represent the judgment of the universal church.

SECTION II.

THE AUTHORITY OF PAPAL AND PATRIARCHAL DECREES.

The archbishop of Rome being one of the successors of the apostles, had by divine right the power of making judgments in faith; and being bishop of the principal church in Christendom, and patriarch of several provinces, his judgment could not fail to have more weight in the universal church than that of any bishop or metropolitan. The patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, and Constantinople also were so nearly, if not entirely, equal in dignity and power to the patriarchs of Rome, that it is difficult to draw any distinction between the authority of their judgments. It is clear that no judgments in faith made by the Roman, or by any other patriarch, since the division of the Eastern and Western churches, can be in any degree binding, as representing the judgment of the catholic church. Previously to that time the decrees of the Roman pontiffs were, with few exceptions, made in provincial or patriarchal synods; and as I have already observed, such synods have never been held equal in authority to the cecumenical synods. But at all events, the decrees of the several patriarchs of

VOL. II.

S

Rome, Constantinople, &c. in matters of faith, however they were made, were never included by the universal church among those high and sacred decisions which exhibited the judgment of the whole christian world. The church indeed viewed with respect whatever emanated from such great bishops; examined their judgments by the light of scripture and tradition; approved those that were good, without making them rules of her faith; rejected those that were heterodox; and, in fine, reserved to scripture, to catholic tradition, and to the decisions of the oecumenical synods, the supreme and undivided sway over the belief of all nations.

CHAPTER XIV.

ON THE ARTICLES OF THE SYNOD OF LONDON, 1562.

THE Thirty-nine Articles of religion were, as it is well known, agreed upon by the metropolitans, the bishops, and the whole clergy in the synod of London, 1562. In the first session (January 19), the most reverend Archbishop of Canterbury, as we learn from the Acts, "proposed that the articles published in the synod of London in the time of king Edward VI. should be given to certain select theologians of the lower house of convocation, to be diligently viewed, examined, considered, and, as they may judge fit, corrected and reformed, and to be presented in the next session "."

a

"Ulterius proposuit, quod Articuli, in synodo Londinensi tempore nuper Regis Edwardi sexti editi, traditi sint quibus

dam aliis viris ex coetu dictæ domus inferioris ad hoc etiam electis, ut eos diligenter perspiciant, examinent, et considerent,

b "

"These articles concerning the holy religion of Christ, were treated of, always with previous prayer, on the 20th, 22d, 25th, 27th days of the month of January, in the collegiate church of St. Peter, Westminster, and in St. Paul's church, London; until, on the 29th of the same month, certain articles of orthodox faith were unanimously agreed on by the bishops, whose names are subscribed to them The articles themselves are then inserted in the acts, after which the subscriptions of the bishops follow in this form: "These articles of christian faith, containing in the whole nineteen pages, &c. ... We the archbishops and bishops of both provinces of the realm of England, legitimately assembled in provincial synod, do receive and profess; and, by the subscription of our hands, do approve, as true and orthodox; on the 29th day of the month of January, in the year of our Lord MDLXII, according to the computation of the church of England; and the fifth year of the most illustrious princess Elizabeth "." Then follow the signatures of both archbishops and all the bishops. The clergy afterwards

C 99

ac prout eis visum fuerit, corrigant et reforment, ac in proxima sessione etiam exhibeant." Wilkins, Concilia, t. iv. p. 232.

b "De hisce articulis sacrosanctam Christi religionem concernentibus, 20. 22. 25. 27, diebus mensis Januarii tam in ecclesia collegiata D. Petri West. quam in ecclesia D. Pauli London. domo capitulari, præmissis semper precibus, tractatum fuit: donec 29 die ejusdem mensis tandem super quibusdam articulis orthodoxæ fidei inter episcopos, quorum nomina eis subscribuntur, unanimiter convenit; quorum quidem articulorum te

subscribed in this form: "Those whose names follow, have subscribed with their own hands to the book of articles transmitted by the most reverend Archbishop of Canterbury, and the bishops of the province of Canterbury, to the lower house of convocation, February 5, MDLXII."

In 1571 the book of articles was examined, corrected, and subscribed in the synod ; and the archbishops and bishops of both provinces enacted canons, by which all persons obtaining faculties as preachers, were bound first to subscribe the articles approved in the synod, and promise to uphold and defend the doctrine contained in them, as most accordant to the truth of God's word. Another canon enjoined the same subscription on all persons to be admitted into holy orders: a regulation which was also made at the

d Wilkins, Concilia, t. iv. p. 261, 262.

e

...

"Episcopus quisque ante calendas Septembris proximas, advocabit ad se omnes publicos concionatores. . . . deinde delectu illorum prudenter facto, . . . illis novas facultates ultro dabit; ita tamen ut prius subscribant articulis christianæ religionis publice in synodo approbatis, fidemque dent, se velle tueri et defendere doctrinam eam, quæ in illis continetur, ut consentientissimam veritati verbi divini.” — Ibid. p. 263. Inprimis vero videbunt, ne quid unquam doceant pro concione, quod a populo religiose teneri et credi velint, nisi quod consentaneum sit doctrinæ Veteris aut Novi Testamenti, quodque ex illa ipsa doctrina catholici patres et veteres episcopi collegerint. Et quoniam articuli illi religionis christianæ,

in quos consensum est ab episcopis in legitima et sancta synodo, jussu atque auctoritate serenissimæ principis Elizabethæ convocata et celebrata, haud dubie selecti sunt ex sacris libris Veteris et Novi Testamenti, et cum cœlesti doctrina quæ in illis continetur, per omnia congruunt. Quoniam etiam liber publicarum precum, et liber de inauguratione archiepiscoporum, episcoporum, presbyterorum, et diaconorum, nihil continent ab illa ipsa doctrina alienum ; quicumque mittentur ad docendum populum, illorum articulorum auctoritatem et fidem, non tantum concionibus suis, sed etiam subscriptione confirmabunt. Qui secus fecerit, et contraria doctrina populum turbaverit, excommunicabitur." - Can. de Concionatoribus. Ibid. p. 267.

"Quivis minister. ecclesiæ antequam in sacram functionem

same time by the act of the civil legislature. The synod of London, in 1603 or 1604, again solemnly confirmed and subscribed these articles"; and enacted that every person to be ordained should subscribe a declaration of his approbation of the articles'. In 1634, the national synod of Ireland also adopted them; and they were subsequently accepted by the synods of Scotland and of America, as the profession of those catholic churches.

The principal questions concerning the articles may be reduced to four. I. The nature of the articles; II. the right of the church to demand a profession of them from her ministers; III. the rule by which they are to be interpreted; and IV. the meaning of subscription.

SECTION I.

ON THE NATURE OF THE ARTicles.

In considering the nature of the articles, we must guard equally against the opposite errors of supposing that none, or that all of them are matters of faith. The former error would involve a denial of the necessity of belief in some of the most holy doctrines of Revelation; for although the articles be human compositions, the doctrine itself which some of them convey is divine. For instance, the doctrines of the Trinity, the incarnation, the sufferings, death, resurrection, atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ, original sin, and

ingrediatur, subscribet omnibus articulis de religione Christiana, in quos consensum est in synodo; et publice ad populum, ubicumque episcopus jusserit, patefaciet conscientiam suam, quid de illis articulis et universa doctrina

sentiat."-Ibid. p. 265.

Act 13 Eliz. c. 12.

Bennet's Essay on XXXIX Articles, p. 358; Wilkins, Concilia, t. iv. p. 379.

i Canon xxxvi.