V same may be said "of pardons, and of Worshipping and Adoration of images " and reliques, ▾ and of Invocations of Saints." W This Article is the same as the twenty-third of 1552. Mar. ii. 7. Acts iv. 12. Stiliingfleet, ibid. § 16. Ex. xx. 4. Matt. iv. 10. t 1 John i. 9. u Deut. xxvii. 15. 1 John v. 21. Lactantius Inst. 1. 2. c. 9. 2 Kings xviii. 4. against Idolatry. w Luke xi. 2. 6, 7. 1 Tim. ii. 5. Acts viii. 2.-x. 25, 26. Ibid. § 35. 49. Homily Euseb. Hist. 1. 4. c. 15. Rev. xxii. 9. James i. Ps. lxv. 2. Rev. xix. 10. Stillingfleet, Ibid. § 33, 34. Stillingfleet, Ibid. c. 2. ARTICLE XXIII. OF MINISTERING IN THE CONGREGATION. "It is not lawful" for any one to preach, or to administer the Sacraments, "before he be lawfully called," or ordained, to perform these Offices. He, who is thus "appointed to the work of the Ministry by men, who have public authority given unto them" for this purpose, and he alone, is qualified to execute it. That internal "call," as it is denominated, of a Minister of Christ, which entitles him to be chosen and "sent to execute" that Office, consists in the character described by St. Paul, to Timothy and to Titus, which constitutes him an example x Acts xx. 28. Heb. v. 4. 2 Cor. v. 20.-vi. 4. Hooker's Eccl. Pol. 1. 5. § 77. Potter, on Church Government, c. 4, 5. Clem. Rom. ad Cor. c. 40, 41. y Tit. i. 5. Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.—xxvi. 26. Rom. x. 15. Jer. xxiii. 32. Hooker, Ibid. 1. 7. § 5. Lloyd's Histor. Acc. of Church Government. Scott's Christian Life, pt. 2. c. 7. § 10. Rom. ad Cor. c. 44. z Tit. i. 9.-ii. 7. Acts xx. 28. v. 41. Ignatius Ep. ad Ephes. 1 Tim. iii. 6.-ii. 15.-v. 20. 2 Cor. xi. 23. 1 Pet. ii. 23. Clemens Matt. ix. 38. of good works. It consists also in the possession of some fitness for the Ministerial Office, not as 66 a novice" in the school of Christ; a but as one, who "need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of Truth;" able by sound doctrine to exhort and to "convince gainsayers;" bold to "reprove;" watchful" to oversee ;" and willing to labour, and not to "loiter in the Lord's Vineyard." There was a peculiar and extraordinary call of Jesus Christ, of John the Baptist, of the twelve Apostles, and of St. Paul. But there is now a public, ordinary" call," as of the Presbyters ordained by the Apostles in the infancy of the Christian Church; who, by the same authority, ordained others; and this practice has been in uninterrupted succession continued to this day. e с g f d h If Ministers be self-ordained, conceit and presumption will obtrude, and clamorous, noisy ignorance will overpower the diffident and the learned; doctrines of opposite tendency will be promulgated, religious principle perverted, and religious affections extinguished; and contention and confusion will prevail to the destruction of Christianity itself. a 1 Tim. iii. 6. d John i. 8. Acts xiv. 23. b 2 Tim. ii. 15. e Matt. x. 5. c John xx. 21. f Acts ix. 15. h 1 Tim. iv. 14. This Article is the same as the twenty-fourth of 1552; and is there intituled, "No man to minister in the Church except he be called." ARTICLE XXIV. OF SPEAKING IN THE CONGREGATION IN SUCH A TONGUE, AS THE PEOPLE UNDERSTANDETH. i THIS Article affirms, that it is "plainly repugnant to the Word of God and to the Custom of the Primitive Church, to have public Prayer in the Church, or to administer the Sacraments in a language not understood by the People; because such custom does not profit, does not edify the weak, does not instruct the ignorant; " but rather offends the hearers,° degrades the people, and brings Religion into contempt. P i 1 Cor. xiv. 4. 19. 11 Cor. xiv. 17. 26. n 1 Cor. xiv. 7. 11. k 1 Cor. xiv. 6. 9. 14. m m 1 Cor. xiv. 7. 11.-xiv. 14. o 1 Cor. xiv. 11. 16. p 1 Cor. xiv. 23. Homily, of Common Prayer and Sacraments. Jewel's Reply, Art. 3. Nowel's Cat. p. 112. I. c. 87. Tertull. Apol. adv. Gentes, c. 39. 1. 8. p. 402. Cyprian. de Oratione Dominicâ. Justin Martyr, Apol. Origen contra Celsum, This Article was the twenty-fifth of those of 1552, and was intituled " All things to be done in the Congregation in such a tongue as is understood by the people." It was in the following form: "It is most fit, and most agreeable to the word of God, that nothing be read or rehearsed in the Congregation, in a tongue not known by the people; which Paul hath forbidden to be done, unless some be present to interpret." ARTICLE XXV. OF THE SACRAMENTS. SACRAMENTS are Ceremonies of Divine Institution, and "tokens" of our Christian Profession, "outward and visible signs of an inward, spiritual grace." Christ ordained two Sacraments" in the Gospel, of Baptism, and of the Lord's Jewel's Def. Ap. p. 2. c. 11. Div. 2. Hooker's Eccl. Pol. 1. 5. § 50. 57. |