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once to bear the sins of many *." And, as if in a sort of prophetic warning against this error, St. Paul, after shewing the superiority and unchangeable nature of Chtist's priesthood, who was to be "a priest for ever," proceeds to say, that "He needeth not daily as those high priests to offer sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people; for this He did once, when He offered up himself;" and concludes thus, " But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sin, for ever sat down at the right hand of God +." From which texts, and the whole discourse taken in connection, it is fully established, that we have but one High Priest, and one sacrifice for sins, under the Gospel dispensation. Hence the Romish doctrine of the sacrifices of masses for the quick and dead, are erroneous, and even blasphemous, because they derogate from the sufficiency of Christ's death and passion.

Though we sometimes term the Lord's Supper a sacrifice, it is only metaphorically; as in Scripture language, any religious act is called an offering to God: e. g. "Let my prayer be set forth as incense, and the lifting up of my hands, as an evening sacrifice +." "Offer the sacrifice of praise to God §."Thus we term the Eucharist "a sacrifice of praise

*Heb. ix. 28.

+ Heb. vii. 24—27; x. 12.

Ps. cxli. 2.

§ Heb. xiii. 15.

and thanksgiving," in our liturgy: but it is only a commemorative, and not a propitiatory sacrifice; it is not the sacrifice itself, but a fœderal act, in which we profess our faith in Christ's sacrifice, renewing our baptismal vows; and thus become worthy partakers of the spiritual blessings attached to it.

SECT. XIV.-ART. XXXII.

OF THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS.

Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, are not commanded by God's law, either to vow the estate of a single life, or to abstain from marriage: therefore, it is lawful for them, as for all other Christian men, to marry st their own discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve better to godliness.

It was not only allowed, but it was even binding upon the Priests, under the Mosaic dispensation, to marry; for the Priesthood was confined, as an hereditary distinction, to the descendants of one family. Hence, there is manifestly no natural inconsistency or unsuitableness between the married state and the duties of God's ministers. In the Gospel we find that Peter, an Apostle, chosen by Christ, was a married man; for we read of "his wife's mother." Philip, the Deacon, was also a married man *— Among all the rules and qualifications for Bishops

*Acts xxi. 8, 9.

and Priests, given in the New Testament, particularly in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus, not a word is said as to their celibacy; but rather there are plain intimations to the contrary: e. g. "A Bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, having his children in subjection.” “Ordain Elders (or Priests,) if any be blameless, the husband of one wife.”"Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own households well *.". St. Paul says, that "marriage is honourable in all+;" and it is remarkable that "forbidding to marry," is given as a character of the apostacy of the latter days +.

Hence we conclude, that Christ has left it free for all His Ministers, to marry or not, as they think fit; and that the Church has no power to lay a yoke upon them, not only unauthorized by Him, but contrary to the practice and injunctions of His Apostles. The celibacy of the clergy was not fully established in the Romish Church till the 11th century.

1 Tim. iii. 2. 4. 12. Tit. i. 6.

Heb. xiii. 4.

1 Tim. iv. 3.

SECT. XV.-ART. XXXIII.

OF EXCOMMUNICATE PERSONS, HOW THEY ARE TO BE AVOIDED.

That person, which by open denunciation of the Church, is rightly cut off from the unity of the Church, and excommunicated, ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithful as a heathen and a publican, until he be openly reconciled by Penance, and received into the Church by a Judge that hath authority thereunto.

The constitution of every society must imply this, -that it has a power to make such laws as are necessary for its own support and well-being; and also to exclude, or "cut off," those that are a reproach to it, and are unfit members. Under the Mosaic dispensation, the power of excommunication was expressly directed to be exercised*, and was called

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putting out of the synagogue.' In the New Testament, we read, that St. Paul directed the Corinthians to excommunicate a person who had been guilty of an incestuous marriage. Christ himself intimates that wilful obstinacy in opposing every method of reconciliation should be punished thus t In exercising this power, great care, however, and tenderness should be used; men are not to be rashly

*Ex. xii. 19. Levit. vii. 20.

+ Matt. xviii. 17.

cut off from the body of Christ; nothing but wilful continuance in sin, and deliberate contempt of the rules of the Church, even justify it, in a case where the general good of society calls for it. When it is thus exercised, it is manifestly a Christian's duty "to mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which they have learned, and avoid them *." But upon repentance, we are bound to receive them again, after the example of St. Paul, who ordered the Corinthians to receive again the man, above alluded to, upon his repentance.

As, however, excommunication is a public judicial act, so must re-admission into the Church be performed according to the settled forms and rules, established by proper authority.

SECT. XVI.-ART. XXXIV.

OF THE TRADITIONS OF THE CHURCH.

It is not necessary that traditions and ceremonies be in all places one, or utterly like; for at all times they have been diverse, and may be changed according to the diversities of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's Word. Whosoever, through his private judgment, willingly and purposely, doth openly

*Rom. xvi. 17.

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