In the reign of Henry VIII--that pious and moral founder of the
apostolic Episcopal Church,--there was passed by the parliament
of England an act entitled, "An act for abolishing of diversity of
opinion." And in this act was set forth what a good Christian was
obliged to believe:
First, That in the sacrament was the real body and blood of Jesus
Christ.
Second, That the body and blood of Jesus Christ was in the bread, and
the blood and body of Jesus Christ was in the wine.
Third, That priests should not marry.
Fourth, That vows of chastity were of perpetual obligation.
Fifth, That private masses ought to be continued; and,
Sixth, That auricular confession to a priest must be maintained.
This creed was made by law, in order that all men might know just what
to believe by simply reading the statute. The Church hated to see the
people wearing out their brains in thinking upon these subjects.