The
21st of the former Articles is omitted, because it is partly of a
local and civil nature, and is provided for, as to the remaining parts of
it, in other Articles.
“As far
as it respects civil affairs, we believe it the duty of Christians,
and especially all Christian ministers, to be subject to the
supreme authority of the country where they may reside, and to use
all laudable means to enjoin obedience to the powers that be; and
therefore it is expected that all our preachers and people, who may
be under the British or any other government, will behave themselves
as peaceable and orderly subjects.”
“The question
is, not whether God, all things considered, has purposed
the existence of sin rather than to prevent it; but for what reason
has he purposed it? Some affirm this reason to be, that sin is the
necessary means of the greatest good. Now, what I claim, and all that I claim,
is, that no one can prove this to be the reason why God has purposed the
existence of sin, and that some other may be the true reason, without
affirming what the true reason is.”
Joshua was
a young man when he came out of Egypt, (Exod. 33:11;)
could not have been more than 45 years old then; 85 when he
entered Canaan, and 110 when he died, leaves 25 years.
Samuel
could not have been more than 38 when Eli died. Then,
Israel was lamenting the loss of the ark more than 20 years. Samuel
judged Israel some years after, and became old, and his sons judged
Israel. He must have been 62 or 63 when Saul was made king.
Archbishop
Cranmer was the first in this succession, at and after the Reformation;
and Bishop White was the connecting link between the English and American
successions.
The reader will perceive some difference
in the dates, and also in the spelling between this list and the list of
Bishops, p. 315. This difference arises from the following
of different authorities in the chronology and spelling by the compilers of the
two lists. It will be seen that they agree in the order of succession, with one or two
exceptions. The fourth and fifth names in this list are generally
considered as the same individual, and the best authorities place him before Clement.
The other apparent differences in the succession are caused by the inserting in
this list of the names of all
who were in the see of Rome at any time; while in the other, those who were not
lawful bishops of Rome are omitted.