PART I. SECTION I. OF RELIGION IN GENERAL. RELIGION Comprehends the devotion and service, whereby we praise God, and acknowledge Him to be the Lord;' whereby all the earth doth worship' Him; whereby all angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the powers therein; whereby the glorious company of the Apostles, the goodly fellowship of the Prophets, and the noble army of Martyrs, praise' Him; whereby the holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledgea' Him; whereby, also, day by day, we magnify Him, and we worship his holy Name, ever, world without end: praying Him to help his servants, to save his people, to bless his heritage, to let his mercy lighten upon them, to keep them without sin, to govern them, and lift them up for ever b!' PRAYER. 'Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works, begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name :' and, O Lord, we beseech thee to keep thy Church and household continually in thy true religion; that a Te Deum. * Collect after Communion. b Te Deum. they who do lean only upon the hope of thy heavenly grace, may evermore be defended by thy mighty power, and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen' SECTION II. OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 6 THAT we may understand what true Religion is, theblessed Lord' of heaven and earth hath caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning;' intending that we should in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that, by patience and comfort of his holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which He has given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ f As an encouragement diligently to read the same,' we are 'persuaded that the holy Scriptures contain sufficiently all doctrine required of necessity for eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ ";" '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: and the other books,' called the Apocrypha, (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'.' d O Collect, Fifth Sunday after Epiph. f Collect, Second Sunday in Advent. Ordination of Priests. e Collect after Communion. 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 God and man, being both God and Man' PRAYER. Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the words' of eternal life may, through thy grace, be so grafted inwardly in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honour and praise of thy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen1.' SECTION III. OF THE NATURE AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. THERE is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker and Preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. This Almighty God is King of all kings, and Governor of all things, whose power no creature is able to resist; to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners, and to be merciful to them that truly repent".' He is, also, the Redeemer and Saviour of the world";' as well as the fountain of all goodness ',' and the Giver of all good gifts .' From Him all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed';' and unto Him all hearts be open, k Article 7. Article 1. 1 Collect after Communion. 6 n Prayer in time of War and Tumults. • Litany, and Visitation of the Sick. P Prayer for the Royal Family. 9 Prayer in Ember Weeks. r Second Collect for Evening Prayer. |