Dr.

HICKES's

Thirty Nine ARTICLES.

Note Thefe thirty-nine propofitions or articles are not only cited in the appendix to the character of a primitive Bishop, as Dr. Hicks's; but the first four of them are fet down by the doctor himself, in his preface to his two treatifes, page 5.

FIR

I.

IRST I affirm, that the Catholic Church is the * kingdom of God, as it is called in Scripture; as alfo the city and houfe; that is, the family of God. It is alfo called a † polity or commonwealth of Ifrael, and the body of Chrift, to fignify unto us, that it is a fpiritual fociety and incorporation, whereof all Chriftians are members.

II.

That this fpiritual kingdom, or incorporation, had a being in the world, independent on the fecular power, for above three hundred years before the government of it was interwoven with the fecular government and laws.

III.

That Christ is the King of this fpiritual kingdom and head of this fpiritual incorporation, and the bishops his chief minifters and vicegerents; to whom, in their respective jurisdictions, he requires obedience from all his fubjects, of what temporal quality or degree whatsoever.

IV.

That for this reafon the church, or incorporate body of chriftians, is faid to be a ↑ royal priestbosd, or kingdom of priefts; and our priests, I mean our chief priests, are for the fame reason faid to be regal priests, or kings as well as priests unto God.

V.

That every diocefe and province in the catholic church, is a part of this kingdom, or members of this particular incorporation.

VI.

That the government of diocefes, or particular diftricts of this incorporation, is fingle and monarchical;

St. Mat. x. 40. St. Luke x. 16.
St. Pet. ii. 9. comp. Exod. xix. 6.

chical; but the government of provinces, and of the whole corporation, commonly called the catholic church, is collegiate, with respect to the several bifhops who are fellows, or lawful collegues in the facerdotal power under Chrift, the high-prieft of the catholic church.

VII.

That these are collegues, or fellows in the facerdotal power Chrift hath committed to them: And all are bound to maintain correfpondency or communion with one another, and to ratify one another's acts.

VIII.

That what is done by one of them, admitted into the spiritual corporation, or excluded from it by any of them, is admitted and excluded by all.

IX.

That men become subjects of this kingdom, or members of this fpiritual incorporation by baptism; and that all Emperors and Kings, whe ther abfolute, or limited in the exercife of their regal power, become fubjects of it by baptifm, as well as other men.

X.

That men, not as men, but as Chriftians, are fubjects of this kingdom, or members of this fpiritual incorporation.!

XI.

That all Chriftian Emperors and Kings, as well as others, ceafe to be members of this cor

poration, or fubjects of this kingdom, by lawful excommunication, apoftacy from christianity, herefy, or profeffing doctrines deftructive of the catholic faith, as alfo by fchifm, which, in the church-subjects, confifts in withdrawing their fubjection and obedience from their rightful biShops; and in bishops or church governors, in refufing or breaking off communion and correspondence with their rightful fellow-bishops, without caufe, or by invading one another's fpiritual rights, contrary to the fundamental laws of the facerdotal or epifcopal college, and that fpiritual union, wherein the polity of the facerdotal college, the being and well-being of the church, as a society, doth confift,

XII.

That as when differences and divifions are in any civil corporation, the true corporation is in the rightful head, and the members that adhere to him; fo in every diocese the church is in the rightful bishop and his flock, though never fo fmall in number and in every province, the epifcopal collegues are in the rightful primate, and those bishops and their flocks that adhere to him ; fo in every diocese, the church is in the rightful bishop and his flock, though never fo fmall in number; and in every province, the epifcopal college is in the rightful primate, and thofe bifhops and their flocks that adhere to him.

XIII. That

XIII,

That all the promises of the gospel are made to chriftians, as actual members of the church : and as no man, how eminent foever for perfonal virtues, can in the ordinary way of falvation claim the benefit of them, before he is a member of the church; fo no man, who by any act of his own, or of his rightful bifhop, ceases to be a member of it, can lay any claim to them, or any of them, not fo much as remiffion of fins.

XIV.

That all Chriftians, emperors, and kings, as well as others, who adhere to unlawful ufurping bishops, and join in communion with them, do by their fchifmatical adherence cut themselves off from the church; that is, the body of Chrift; and fo by their own act and deed ceafe to be members of that fpiritual corporation and are no longer in, but out of the church (which is the body of Chrift) and fo remain, as long as they continue in the fchifm.

XV.

That in all controverfies about right amongst bishops, it is the duty and eternal concern of Chriftians, as Chriftians, to enquire into the titles of the contending parties, and to be as faithful to the rightful bishops, as temporal fub