after mention is made of those disputes, and that the men of all sides did take the Articles to be for them, order is given for stopping those disputes for the future; and for shutting them in God's promises as they be generally set forth in the holy scriptures, and the general meaning of the Articles of the Church of England, according to them; and that no man thereafter should put his own sense or comment to be the meaning of the Article, but should take it in the literal and grammatical sense. In this there has been such a general acquiescing, that the fierceness of these disputes has gone off, while men have been left to subscribe the Articles according to their literal and grammatical sense. From which two things are to be inferred: the one is, that the subscription does import an assent to the Article; and the other is, that an Article being conceived in such general words, that it can admit of different literal and grammatical senses, even when the senses given are plainly contrary one to another, yet both may subscribe the Article with a good conscience, and without any equivocation. To make this more sensible, I shall give an instance of it in an Article concerning which there is no dispute at present.

The third Article concerning Christ's descent into hell is capable of three different senses, and all three are both literal and grammatical. The first is, that Christ descended locally into hell, and preached to the spirits there in prison; and this has one great advantage on its side, that those who first prepared the Articles in king Edward's time were of this opinion; for they made it a part of it, by adding in the Article those words of St. Peter as the proof or explanation of it. Now, though that period was left out in queen Elizabeth's time, yet, no declaration was made against it; so that this sense was once in possession, and was never expressly rejected: besides that, it has great support from the authority of many fathers, who understood the descent into hell according to this explanation. A second sense, of which that Article is capable, is, that by hell is meant the grave, according to the signification of the original word in the Hebrew; and this is supported by the words of Christ's descending into the lower parts of the earth; as also by this, that several creeds, that have this Article, have not that of Christ's being buried; and some, that mention his burial, have not this of his descent into hell. A third sense is, that by hell, according to the signification of the Greek word, is to be meant the place or region of spirits separated from their bodies: so that by Christ's descent into hell is only to be meant, that his soul was really and entirely disunited from his body, not lying dead in it as in an apoplectical fit, not hovering about it, but that it was translated into the seats of departed souls. All these three senses differ very much from one another, and yet they are all

senses that are literal and grammatical; so that in which of these soever a man conceives the Article, he may subscribe it, and he does no way prevaricate in so doing. If men would therefore understand all the other Articles in the same largeness, and with the same equity, there would not be that occasion given for unjust censure that there has been. Where then the Articles are conceived in large and general words, and have not more special and restrained terms in them, we ought to take that for a sure indication, that the church does not intend to tie men up too severely to particular opinions, but that she leaves all to such a liberty as is agreeable with the purity of the faith.

And this seems sufficient to explain the title of the Articles, and the subscriptions that are required of the clergy to them.

The last thing to be settled is the true reading of the Articles; for, there being some small diversity between the printed editions and the manuscripts that were signed by both houses of convocation, I have desired the assistance both of Dr. Green, the present worthy Master of Corpus Christi college in Cambridge, and of some of the learned Fellows of that body; that they would give themselves the trouble to collate the printed editions, and their manuscripts, with such a scrupulous exactness as becomes a matter of this importance: which they were pleased to do very minutely. I will set down both the collations as they were transmitted to me; beginning with that which I had from the Fellows four years ago.

In the original these words

ARTICLE VI.

The Old Testament is not to

only are found, Testamentum be rejected as if it were contrary vetus novo contrarium non est, to the New, but to be retained. quandoquidem, &c. Forasmuch as, &c.

The Latin of the original is, Et quanquam renatis et credentibus nulla propter Christum est condemnatio.

This article is not found in the original.

This is not found.

This is not found.

This Article agrees with the original; but these words, The church hath power to decree rites and ceremonies, and authority in controversies of faith, supposed to begin the Article, are not found in any part thereof.

In the fourteenth line of this Article, immediately after these words, (But yet have not like nature with Baptism and the Lord's Supper) follows, quomodo nec pœnitentia, which, being marked underneath with minium, is left out in the translation.

ARTICLE IX.

And although there is no cons demnation to them that believe, and are baptized, &c.

ARTICLE X.
Of Grace.

The grace of Christ, or the Holy Ghost, which is given by him, doth, &c.

ARTICLE XVI.

Blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost.

The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is then committed, when, &c.

ARTICLE XIX.

All men are bound to keep the precepts of the moral law, although the law given from God, &c.

ARTICLE XX.
Of the authority of the church.

It is not lawful for the church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's words written, &c.

ARTICLE XXVI.

Of the sacraments. Sacraments ordained of Christ,

&c.

This Article agrees with the original, as far as these words, (and hath giben occasion to many superstitions) where fol

ARTICLE XXIX.

Of the Lord's Supper. The Supper of the Lord is

lows, Christus in cœlum ascen- not only a sign of, &c.

dens, corpori suo immortalitatem dedit, naturam non abstulit, humanæ enim naturæ veritatem (juxta scripturas) perpetuo retinet, quam uno et definito loco esse, et non in multa vel omnia simul loca diffundi oportet; quum igitur Christus in cœlum sublatus, ibi usque ad finem sæculi sit permansurus, atque inde, non aliunde (ut loquitur Augustinus) venturus sit, ad judicandum vivos et mortuos, non debet quisquam fidelium, carnis et ejus et sanguinis realem, et corporalem (ut loquuntur) presentiam in Eucharistia vel credere vel profiteri. These words are marked and scrawled over with minium, and the words immediately following (corpus tamen Christi datur, accipitur, et manducatur in cœna, tantum cœlesti et spirituali ratione) are inserted in a different hand just before them, in a line and a half left void; which plainly appears to be done afterwards, by reason the same hand has altered the first number of lines, and, for viginti quatuor, made quatuordecim.

The three last Articles, viz. the 39th, Of the Resurrection of the Dead; the 40th, that the Souls of men do neither perish with their bodies (neque otiosi dormiant is added in the original); and the 42d, that all shall not be saved at last, are found in the original, distinguished only with a marginal line of minium: but the 41st, Of the Millenarians, is wholly left out.

The number of Articles does not exactly agree, by reason some are inserted, which are found only in king Edward's Articles, but none are wanting that are found in the original.

Corpus Christi Col. Feb. 4th, 1695-6.

UPON examination we judge these to be all the material differences, that are unobserved, between the original manuscripts and the B. of Salisbury's printed copy. Witness our hands,

Jo. Jaggard,

Rob. Mosse,
Will. Lunn,

Fellows of the said college.

After I had procured this, I was desirous likewise to have the printed editions collated with the second publication of the articles in the year 1571; in which the convocation reviewed those of 1562, and made some small alterations: and these were very lately procured for me by my reverend friend, Dr. Green, which I will set down as he was pleased to communicate them to me.

[Note, MS. stands for Manuscript, and Pr. for Print.]

Art. 1. MS. and true God, and he is everlasting, without

Pr.

body.

and true God, everlasting, without body. Art. 2. MS. but also for all actual sins of men. but also for actual sins of men. Art. 3. MS. so also it is to be believed.

Pr.

Pr.

so also is it to be believed. Art. 4. MS. Christ did truly arise again. Pr. Christ did truly rise again.

MS. until he return to judge all men at the last day.
Pr. until he return to judge men at the last day.

Art. 6. MS. to be believed as an article of the faith.
Pr. to be believed as an article of faith.
MS. requisite as necessary to salvation.
Pr. requisite or necessary to salvation.
MS. in the name of holy scripture.
Pr. in the name of the holy scripture.
MS. but yet doth it not apply.
Pr. but yet doth not apply.

MS. Baruch.

Pr. Baruch the prophet.

MS. and account them for canonical.

Pr. and account them canonical.

Art. 8. MS. by most certain warranties of holy scripture.
Pr. by most certain warrant of holy scripture.

Art. 9. MS. but it is the fault.

Pr. but is the fault.

MS. whereby man is very far gone from his original righteousness.

Pr. whereby man is far gone from original righteous

ness.

MS. in them that be regenerated.

Pr. in them that are regenerated.

Art. De Gratia, non habetur in MS.

Art. 10. MS. a good will and working in us.
Pr. a good will and working with us.

Art. 14. MS. cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety.

Pr. cannot be taught without arrogancy and iniquity.

MS. we be unprofitable servants.

Pr. we are unprofitable servants.

Art. 15. MS. sin only except.

Pr. sin only excepted.

MS. to be the Lamb without spot.
Pr. to be a Lamb without spot.