Untitled - Rore Sanctifica

XVI INTRODUCTION.
will, we feel sure, be convinced that the Church of England
is no mere sect or body of separatists, but a true and living
Branch of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
"15. And, in order that you who are members with us
of the One Catholic Church founded by CHRIST and His
Apostles, and administered by their successors, the Bishops,
Priests, and Deacons, may appreciate more fully the true
character of our religion, we invite you to enter freely into
our churches, and be present at our worship. In doing so,
you will observe that, while traces of our past history may
be seen in the varied character of our Eitual, so that in
some of our churches it is not brought out in all its fulness
and beauty, yet that, where the English worship is restored
to its integrity, the Service is performed and the Holy
Eucharist celebrated with a reverence and devotion which,
we trust, you will admit leaves little or nothing to be
desired.
"
16. And while we thus point out to our Catholic visitors
that the English Church, in its true aspect, is in j)erfectP\
accordance with Catholic Usage and Tradition, we are also
bold to say that those Christians who would measure our\
religious state by the standard of the Bible alone will finf
a careful adherence to Holy Scripture pervading the whoh
system and formularies of the Church of England. ,And to
the Protestants of Germany and other countries who have
passed through the ordeal of Bationalism we would, with
thankfulness to Almighty GOD, point to the stand made by
the English Bishops and Clergy against recent tendencies
of a similar character in this land, and claim it as an evi
dence that the maintenance of the Doctrine and Discipline
of the Apostolic ages is the best safeguard against the
snares of Infidelity.
"17. Greatly should we rejoice if the gathering of the
intelligent Foreigners in our Metropolis should, by the
blessing of Divine Providence, be the means of drawing
earnest Christians together, and uniting them in one holy
fellowship and doctrine as in ancient times.
" And now, with the assurance of our hearty goodwill and
Christian sympathy, we commend this short Address to
your earnest consideration."
These, then, are the principles of the Church
of England, taken not from the personal witness
of individuals, but from the public documents