Page:The Church of England, its catholicity and continuity.djvu/107

 number, drawn up in Edward's reign. When Elizabeth came to the throne these were again remodelled, but still remained in number forty-two. In her reign they were changed again as we now have them. They are thirty-nine. These Articles were drawn up after the model of the Lutheran confession of faith. They have served a good purpose, and I am convinced that they serve a good purpose now if those who subscribe to them honestly understand what the act of subscription means.

The Articles originally were drawn up to include in our Church men who had opposite theological tendencies. They were so constructed by Cranmer that Calvinists as well as Arminians might subscribe them. This is the reason why one of them, at least, is so difficult to understand.

Now I must draw to a close. We have seen that the Reformation in England was an important movement. We have seen what its benefits were to the Church of our land. Now, as I very much want you to see that no new Church was made by the events brought to your consideration to-night, I wish to emphasize this thought a little more. What happened at the Reformation was that the Pope was told, once and for all, to keep out of the Church of England, and those clergy who sided with him were urged to resign or else to change their opinions on this important point. No new doctrine was introduced. There was no schism. The Bishops descended in continuous line from the days of S. Augustine. Henry wrote to Cardinal Pole that it was not his object to break the historical continuity of the Church, nor "to separate himself, or his realm, from the unity of