There has always been a distinction of Orders in the Church. Our Saviour ordained twelve Apostles. He also sent seventy Disciples to preach; but the authority of the twelve was superior. When the extraordinary power of the Apostles ceased, the ordinary authority continued in Bishops, who succeeded them; and who, from their time, have been empowered to ordain Ministers, to manage Ecclesiastical affairs, and to superintend the order and decency of public Worship.

This Article is the thirty-fifth of 1552. Its title was, "Of the Book of Common Prayer, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England." It was in the following form: "The Book, lately delivered to the Church of England, by the Authority of the King and Parliament, containing the manner and form of public Prayer, and the Ministration of the Sacraments, in the said Church of England; as also the Book published by the same Authority for ordering Ministers in the Church, are both of them very pious, as to truth of doctrine, in nothing contrary, but agreeable to the wholesome doctrine of the Gospel, which they do very much promote and illustrate. And, for that cause, they are by all faithful Members of the Church of England, but

chiefly of the Ministers of the Word, with all thankfulness and readiness of mind, to be received, approved, and commended to the People of God."

ARTICLE XXXVII.

OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATES.

m

UNDER the dispensation of Moses, Kings exercised their power in all things relating to Religious, as well as to Civil affairs. Submission to the Civil Power is the injunction of Christianity; in the early period of which, Councils were held, and their decrees were confirmed by the Civil Magistrate; who assumed authority in the direction of all Ecclesiastical affairs. But to Kings" there is no privilege of administering God's word and Sacraments." These functions can be discharged only by those who are lawfully ap

66

11 Sam. xxii. 11. 1 Chron. xxiii. 6. 1 Kings ii. 26.

m Rom. xiii. 1. Tit. iii. 1. 1 Pet. ii. 13, 14.

n 2 Chron. xxvi. 16, &c.

R

pointed to exercise them. "Slanderous folks" allude to the Puritans, who denied any power of the Civil Magistrate in Ecclesiastical matters. "The Injunctions," here mentioned, were set forth by Queen Elizabeth, in 1559, and asserted her supremacy over the affairs of the Church.

p

"The Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this Realm of England."

It is also here affirmed, that the punishment of death is lawful. Such penal laws, lawfully established, according to times and circumstances, and suitable to the nature of criminal matters, are allowed by the Gospel. q

r

Christians are permitted to serve in wars. It has been the practice from the commencement of Christianity. The first Christians served in wars under Heathen Emperors.

This Article is the thirty-sixth of 1552; and

Whit

Ibid. 1. 8.

• 1 Kings ii. 26. Jewel's Def. Apol. p. 6. c. 11. Div. 1. gift's Def. Tract. 20. Hooker's Eccl. Pol. 1. 5. § 1. Prideaux Fasc. Cont. c. 4. § 2. Q. 3. 6. Scott's Christian Life, p. 2. c. 7. § 10.

P Cyprian. De Seph. Ep. 74. Ibid. in Concil. Carth. 1 Pet. iv. 15.

q Ezra vii. 26. Acts xxv. 11. Rom. xiii. 1, 2, &c.

Prov. xx.

26.

Matt. xxvi. 52.

Hammond's Pract. Cat. 1. 2. § 5.

Irenæus

adv. Hær. 1. 5. c. 24.

r Eccles. iii. 8. Luke iii. 14. Matt. viii. Acts x. 1, 2. Tertull.

de coroná militis.

2

was in the following form: "The King of England is, after Christ, the Supreme Head on Earth of the Church of England and Ireland.

"The Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this realm of England.

"The Civil Magistrate is ordained and approved by God, and therefore is to be obeyed, not only for fear of wrath, but for conscience sake.

"Civil or Temporal Laws may punish Christian men with death for heinous and grievous offences.

"It is lawful for Christian men, at the commandment of the Magistrate, to wear weapons, and to serve in the wars."

ARTICLE XXXVIII.

OF CHRISTIAN MEN'S GOODS, WHICH ARE NOT

COMMON.

In this Article it is affirmed, that private property is not inconsistent with the profession of Christianity; which "certain Anabaptists * falsely boast." In the earliest period of Christianity, many converts voluntarily bestowed all their possessions to the use of their Fellow-Christians. But they were under no command to make such distribution of their property. Every man is, indeed, obliged, according to his ability," to relieve the poor and the necessitous. Innumerable exhortations of our Saviour and his Apostles recommend the practice of benevolence in its widest extent and most comprehensive sense.

This Article is the thirty-seventh of 1552; and was intituled, "The goods of Christians are not