tism is unto us Christians, the fame as Circumcifion to the Jews. The children of Jews were circumcised, so the children or infants of Christians are to be baptized. Forbid them not, faid our blessed Lord, for of fuch is the kingdom of Heaven. Matt. xiii. 14. Mark x. 14. See also Matt. xxvii. 19. 1 Cor. vii. 14.

ART. XXVIN. Of the Lord's Supper.

:

THE HE Supper of the Lord is not only a sign

of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another; but rather is a Sacrament of our redemption by Chirst's death : Insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the fame, the bread which we break, is a partaking of the body of Chrift; and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Chrift.

Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of bread and wine) in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by holy Writ; but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath given occafion to many superstitions.

The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper, is Faith.

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped...

2

The Supper of the Lora] Is a fign of the mutual love that Chriftians ought to have to each other, and that intimate friend

ship, which is or ought to subsist amongst all professing Chriftians: For, as St. Paul faith, We, being many, are one bread, and one body, for we are all partakers of that one Bread, 1 Cor. x. 17, 20, 21. that came down from heaven, John vi. 33, 51.

The Lord's Supper is a Sacrament of our redemption, by Christ's death;] To them who receive the same worthily by faith. See the proofs. Matt. xxvi. 27, 28. Luke xxii. 19, 20. Mark xiv. 24. and 1 Cor. xi. 24, 28. 2 Cor. xii. 5. "The cup " of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the " blood of Christ?" (faith Justin Martyr.) "received after a " heavenly and spiritual manner," John vi. 56.

Tranfubftantiation.) Or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine in the Supper of the Lord, is utterly false and a most abfurd notion, for reason or common sense to think of, and intirely repugnant to the plain word of Scripture. See Matt, xxvi. 29. Mark xiv. 25. Christ's real body, faith Peter, is in heaven, and not in the Sacrament. And Paul faith, As often as ye eat this Bread (not Christ's real Body), and drink this Cup (not Christ's real blood), ye do shew the Lord's death till he comes. I Cor. xi. 20, 26. See also Mark xiv. 22, 23.

The mean whereby the Body of Christ is received, is Faith; and this Sacrament was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, nor to be carried about, or lifted up (as the Papists do), but to be eat and drank, in remembrance of Chrift, as he commanded us. See Luke xxii. 19. So faith Irenæus, Tertullian, St. Cyprian, &c. See also Homily on the Sacrament.

ART. XXIX. Of the Wicked, which do not eat the Body of Chrift, in the Use of the Lord's Supper.

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HE wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith, although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth (as St. Augustine faith) the Sacrament of the body and blood of Chrift: yet in no wife are they partakers of Chrift: but rather, to their condemnation, do eat and drink the fign or Sacrament of so great a thing.

The

The wicked, &c. The promised blessing to be received in this Sacrament, is by Faith: but the wicked have no Faith, and therefore they eat and drink to their own condemnation, as Paul doth plainly tell us, I Cor. xi. 28, 29. x. al. Again, they lack the wedding garment, which is Faith, &c. Matt. xxii. 21. They are not members of Chrift's Church, Eph. iv. 15. And they have no promise of heavenly refreshment, being without Faith. John vi. 34. Therefore they procure unto themselves most heavy punishments, diseases, death of the body, and eternal death to the foul. 1 Cor. xi. 29.

ART. XXX. Of both kinds.

T HE Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people: for both the parts of the Lord's Sacrament, by Christ's ordinance and commandment, ought to be ministered to all Christian men alike,

If the Bread and the Cup was not to be given to all Christian Men and Women, how are they to shew the Lord's death till be come? Luke xxii. 20. But it is to be given to all, as is clear from the following texts of Scripture. Matt. xxvi. 26, 27. Mark xiv, 22. Luke xxii. 19. 1 Cor. x. 16. xi. 25. See Ignatius, Justin Martyr, St. Cyprian, &c. who all agree to the fame.

ART. XXXI. Of the one Oblation of Christ finiShed upon the Cross.

HE Offering of Chrift

once made, is that

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perfect Redemption, Propitiation, and Satiffaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other fatiffaction for fin, but that alone. Wherefore the facrifice of Masses, in the which it was commonly faid, that the Prieft did offer Chrift for the quick

and

and dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, are blafphemous fables, and dangerous deceits.

The offering of Chrift, &c.] " Since the offering of Chrift " which was once made upon the Cross, is a fufficient satis"faction for fin; then there is no occasion for any other; and " fince it is perfect for redemption, it need not be repeated." Heb. x. 10. We are Sanctified through the offering of the Body of Cbrift, once for all. And he is the propitiation for our fins; and not for ours only, but also for the fins of the whole world, 1 John ii. 2. See Art. 2. Ignatius says, " the passion of Christ " is our Resurrection, for by his passion he hath reconciled us to "God, and truly saved us; says Ireneus." See Acts xx. 28. Rom. x. 6. Gal. iii. 13. John i. 29. I Pet. iii. 18.

The sacrifice of Masses, is most shocking and absurd, a most blafphemous fable, invented by the Papists, and a dangerous deceit, contrary to God's Word. I Pet. i. 18. Heb. xi. 6. "Thanks be to God, we and our Brethern have abandoned " their Masses," faith Basil, Ch. xix. 21.-Archdeacon Welch

man.

ART. XXXII. Of the Marriage of Priests.

BISHOPS, Priefts, and Deacons, are not

commanded by God's Law, either to vow the estate of single life, or to abstain from Marriage: Therefore it is lawful for them, as for all other Christian men, to marry at their own difcretion, as they shall judge the same to serve better to godliness.

It is most plain and lawful by the Word of God, for Bishops, Priefts, or Deacons, to marry at their difcretion. In the Old Teftament commandment is given to the Priests to chuse themselves wives. See Lev. xxi. 7. xxii. 1. 1 Sam. iii. 13. Alfo in the New Testament, from Zacharias. Luke i. 1. And by the example of the Apostles. Marriage is honourable among all Heb. xiii. 4. 1 Cor. viii. 2-ix. 5. 1 Tim. iii. 11. ART.

ART. XXXIII. Of excommunicate Persons, bow they are to avoided.

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HAT Person, which, by open denunciation of the Church, is rightly cut off from the unity of the Church, and excommunicated, ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithful, as an Heathen and Publican, until he be openly reconciled by penance, and received into the Church by a Judge that hath authority thereunto.

Since the Church of Chrift is a company of holy perfons, subject to Christ, as their living head; what then can be moré equitable and right, than that such persons as walk disorderly, and by their notorious crimes become a scandal to the Christian name, should be excommunicated, and driven out from the communion of the Church, and looked upon as heathen men: fince they live heathenish lives, and it is the duty of all good and godly chriftians to avoid the company of such, that they may be ashamed. 2 Theff. iii. 6, 14. St. Paut also warneth the Church of Corinth, how to behave toward such. See 1 Cor. v. 3, 4, 5. and again v. 11, 13. If he repent, receive him again as a brother; but, if he neglect to bear the Church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man, and a publican. Matt. xviii. 17. So faith St. Cyprian: " Depart, I beseech you, from such per" fons, and acquiefce in the advice you have from us."

ART. XXXIV. Of the Traditions of the Church.

I

T is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one, or utterly like; for at all times they have been divers, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained