The Lutheran Branch of the church,

The Episcopal Branch of the church,

The Presbyterian Branch of the church,

The Methodist Branch of the church, etc. etc.

Thus would we literally verify the declaration of the Lord's prophet," And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day there will be one Lord and his name one." Zech. 14: 9.

As to one Supreme Representative Body, having even limited jurisdiction over all the confederated bodies, for which some may have been looking as a feature of this plan of union-there was none such in the apostolic age, and we need none. The tendency of such bodies is naturally to an increase of powerthey are the foster-mothers of papacy, and dangerous to true liberty of conscience.

Should any circumstances in the Providence of God, hereafter render it necessary, and the great body of the confederated denominations unite in the call, a mere advisory council might be convened, consisting of a small senatorial delegation, in equal numbers from each denomination, without legislative or judicial power, its advice to be confined to the general interests of the Redeemer's kingdom. Yet even such a council ought not to meet statedly nor often, and forms no part of the proposed union.

THE APOSTOLIC, PROTESTANT CONFESSION,

for which the reader is now prepared, is nothing more than a selection of such articles or parts of articles, on the topics determined by the several confessions, as are believed by all the so-called orthodox churches. Not a single word is altered or added. The authority of this confession is based on the fact, that every sentence, every idea of it, has been sanctioned by one or other of the Protestant conventions that adopted the creeds from which the articles are selected, and by the denominations receiving those creeds. The whole creed has therefore already received the ecclesiastical sanction of acknowledged churches. Its sanction in its present form and for the proposed purpose, it can only receive by the successive action of such ecclesiastical bodies, and churches and individuals as in the Providence of God may receive it, and publish their assent to it, not as renouncing any of their former opinions, but as regarding this as the test for discipline and communion.

THE APOSTOLIC, PROTESTANT CONFESSION.

PART I. The Apostles' Creed.

"I believe in God the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. The third day he rose from the dead, he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

"I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic or universal church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting."

PART II. The United Protestant Confession.

ART. I. Of the Scriptures.

The 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. Under the name of the Holy Scriptures, or the word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testament, which are these:

1 Articles of the Episcopal church, Art. VI. and of the Discipline

All which are given by inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration are no part of the canon of the Scripture.1

ART. II. Of God and the Trinity.

Our churches with one accord teach, that there is one God, eternal, incorporeal, indivisible, infinite in power, wisdom and goodness, the creator and preserver of all things visible and invisible; and yet, that there are three persons, who are of the same essence and power, and are coëternal, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.2

ART. III. Of the Son of God and the Atonement.

They likewise teach, that the Word, that is, the Son of God, assumed human nature, so that the two natures human and divine, united in one person, constitute one Christ, who is true God and man; born of the virgin Mary; and truly suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried, that he might be a sacrifice for the sins of men.3

ART. IV. Of Human Depravity.

God having made a covenant of works and of life thereupon with our first parents; they, seduced by the subtilty and temptation of Satan, did wilfully transgress and break the covenant by eating the forbidden fruit. By this sin they fell from their

1 Ratio Disciplinae or Constitution of the Congregational Churches, Art. I. § 2. 3. and Confession of the Presbyterian Church, Art. I. § 2. 3. The Calvinistic Baptists are supposed generally to agree in the views of this Confession, though they have not formally adopted it: and the Confession of the Dutch Reformed Church is also of the same general doctrinal import.

2 Lutheran and Moravian (United Brethren's) Confession, Art. I. 3 Idem, Art. III. according to the translation contained in the writer's "Popular Theology." 4 Congregational, Art. VI. 1.

original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin. They being the root of all mankind, a corrupted nature is conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation. The condition of man after the fall of Adam, is such,3 that his will is neither forced, nor by any absolute necessity of nature determined to do good or evil : 4 but it does not possess the power, without the influence of the Holy Spirit, of being just before God.5

ART. V. Of Justification.

6

We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith; and not for our own works or deservings. This faith must bring forth good fruits; and it is our duty to perform those good works which God has commanded, because he has enjoined them, and not in the expectation of thereby meriting justification before him." Good works cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's judgment.8

ART. VI. Of the Church.

The visible church, which is catholic or universal under the Gospel (not confined to one nation), consists of all those throughout the world, that profess the true religion, and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unto this catholic, visible church, Christ hath given the ministry, oracles and ordinances of God." For the true unity of the church, it is not necessary that the same rites and ceremonies, instituted by men, should be everywhere observed.10 The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; nevertheless, Christ always hath had and ever shall have a visible kingdom in this world to the end thereof, of such as believe in him and make profession 2 Congregational, Art. VI. 3.

Presbyterian, Art. VI. 2.

3 Episcopal, Art. X.

4 Presbyt. and Congreg. IX. 1.

5 Lutheran and Moravian Conf. Art. XVIII.

6 Episcopal Conf. Art. XI. and Methodist, Art. IX.

7 Lutheran and Moravian Conf. Art. VI.

8 Methodist Discip. Art. X. and Episcopal Conf. Art. XII. Presbyterian Conf. Art. XXV. 2. 3.

10 Lutheran and Moravian, Art. VII.

11 Presb. XXV. 3. and Cong. XXVI. 3.

of his name. There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ: nor can the pope of Rome in any sense be the head thereof. 2

ART. VII. Of the Sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's

Supper.

The sacraments were instituted not only as marks of a christian profession among men; but rather as signs and evidences of the divine disposition towards us, tendered for the purpose of exciting and confirming the faith of those who use them.3 There be only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Baptism is ordained not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible church; but also to be unto him a sign of the covenant of grace, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life. 5 The supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves; but rather is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death."

In this sacrament Christ is not offered up, nor any real sacrifice made at all, for remission of sins of the quick or dead; so that the popish sacrifice of the mass, as they call it, is most injurious to Christ's one only sacrifice. That doctrine which maintains a change of the bread and wine into Christ's body and blood (commonly called transubstantiation) by consecration of a priest, or in any other way, is repugnant not to Scripture alone, but even to common sense and reason. The denying of the cup to the people, and worshipping the elements, or carrying them about for adoration, are all contrary to the institution of Christ. 9

1 Congregational Conf. Art. XXVI. 3.

2 Congr. XXVI. 4. and Presb. XXV. 6.

3 Lutheran and Moravian Conf. Art. XIII.

4 Presb. Art. XXVII. 4. and Congr. XXVIII. 4.

5 Presb. Art. XXVIII. 1.

6 Methodist Disc. Art. XVIII. and Episc. Art. XXVIII. "Presb. Art. XXIX. 2. and Cong. XXX. 2.

Presb. Conf. Art. XXIX. 6. and Cong. XXX. 6.

9 Presb. XXIX. 4. Cong. XXX. 4.