T is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of publick preaching, or ministering the Sacraments in the Congregation, before he be lawfully called, and sent to execute the same. And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men who have publick authority given unto them in the Congregation, to call and send Ministers into the Lord's vineyard. XXIV. Of speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the people understandeth. т IT is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the Primitive Church, to have publick Prayer in the Church, or to minister the Sacraments in a tongue not understanded of the people. XXV. Of the Sacraments. SACRAMENTS ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace, and God's good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our Faith in him. There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord. Those five commonly called Sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles, partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures; but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God. The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same they have a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint Paul saith. XXVI. of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacrament. ᎪᏞ LTHOUGH in the visible gled with the good, and sometimes the evil have chief authority in the Ministration of the Word and Sacraments, yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name, but in Christ's, and do minister by his commission and authority, we may use their Ministry, both in hearing the Word of God, and in the receiving of the Sacraments. Neither is the effect of Christ's ordinance taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace of God's gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministerbecause of Christ's institution and ed unto them; which be effectual, promise, although they be ministered by evil men. the discipline of the Church, that Nevertheless, it appertaineth to enquiry be made of evil Minisby those that have knowledge of ters, and that they be accused their offences; and finally being found guilty, by Just judgement be deposed. XXVII. Of Baptism. BAPTISM is not only a sign D of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of Regeneration or new Birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the promises of the forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; Faith is confirmed, and Grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God. The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ. XXVIII. Of the Lord's Supper. only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another; but rather it is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christ's death: insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith, receive the same, the Bread which we break is a partaking of the Body of Christ; and likewise the Cup of Blessing is a partaking of the Blood of Christ. Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine) in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by holy Writ; but it is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions. The Body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten, in the Supper, only after an heavenly and spi ritual manner. And the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped. XXXI. Of the one Oblation of made is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfacworld, both original and actual; tion, for all the sins of the whole and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that alone. Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses, in the which it was commonChrist for the quick and the dead, ly said, that the Priest did offer to have remission of pain or guilt, were blasphemous fables, and dangerous deceita. XXXII. Of the Marriage of Priests. BISHOPS, Priests, and Dea cons, are not commanded by estate of single life, or to abstain God's Law, either to vow the from marriage: therefore it is other Christian men, to marry at lawful also for them, as for all their own discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve better to godliness. 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 excommuniwhole multitude of the faithcated, ought to be taken of the useful, as an Heathen and Publican, until he be openly reconciled by penance, and received into the Church by a Judge that hath authority thereunto. XXIX. Of the Wicked which eat THE HE Wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith, although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth (as Saint Augus tine saith) the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ: but rather, to their condemnation, do eat and drink the sign or Sacrament of so great a thing. authority, ought to be rebuked openly, (that others may fear to do the like,) as he that offendeth against the common order of the Church, and hurteth the authority of the Magistrate, and woundeth the consciences of the weak brethren. Every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain, change, and abolish, ceremonies or rites of the Church ordained only by man's authority, so that all things be done to edifying. XXXV. Of Homilies. THE second Book of Homilies, the several titles whereof we have joined under this Article, doth contain a godly and wholesome Doctrine, and necessary for these times, as doth the former book of Homilies, which were set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth; and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the Ministers, diligently and distinctly, that they may be under. standed of the people. Of the Names of the Homilies. 6 Against Excess of Apparel. 7 Of Prayer. 8 Of the Place and Time of Prayer. 9 That Common Prayers and Sacraments ought to be ministered in a known tongue. 10 of the reverend estimation of God's Word. 11 Of Alma-doing. 12 of the Nativity of Christ. 13 Of the Pussion of Christ. 14 Of the Resurrection of Christ. 15 of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. 16 of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost. 17 For the Rogation-days. 18 Of the state of Matrimony. 19 Of Repentance. 20 Against Idleness. 21 Against Rebellion. XXXVI. of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers. THE Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops, and Ordering of Priests and Deacons, lately set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth, and confirmed at the same time by authority of Parliament, doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and Ordering: neither hath it any thing, that of itself is superstitious and ungodly. And therefore whosoever are conse. crated or ordered according to the Rites of that Book, since the second year of the forenamed King Edward unto this time, or hereaf ter shall be consecrated or ordered according to the same Rites; we decree all such to be rightly, orderly, and lawfully consecrated and ordered. XXXVII. Of the Civil Magi strates. THE Queen's Majesty hath the chief power in this Realm of England, and other her Dominions, unto whom the chief Government of all Estates of this Realm, whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil, in all causes doth appertain, and is not, nor ought to be, subject to any foreign Jurisdiction. Where we attribute to the Queen's Majesty the chief government, by which, Titles we understand the minds of some slanderous folks to be offended; we give not to our Princes the ministering either of God's Word, or of the Sacraments, the which thing the Injunctions also lately. set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testify; but that only prerogative, which we see to have been given always to all godly Princes in holy Scriptures by God himself; that is, that they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God, whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal, and restrain with the civil sword the stubborn and evildoers. The Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this Realm of Eng land. The Laws of the Realm may THIS NHIS Book of Articles before rehearsed, is again approved, and allowed to be holden and executed within the Realm, by the assent and consent of our Sovereign Lady ELIZABETH, by the grace of God, of England, France, and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, &c. Which Articles were deliberately read, and confirmed again by the subscription of the hands of the Archbishop and Bishops of the Upperhouse, and by the subscription of the whole Clergy of the Nether-house in their Convocation, in the Year of our Lord 1571. 1.0 A TABLE OF THE ARTICLES. F Faith in the Holy Tri- 2. Of Christ the Son of God. 5. Of the Holy Ghost. 6. Of the Sufficiency of the Scrip ture. 7. Of the Old Testament. 8. Of the Three Creeds. 9. Of Original or Birth-sin. 10. Of Free-will. 11. Of Justification. 12. Of good Works. 13. Of Works before Justifica- 14. Of Works of Supererogation. 18. of obtaining Salvation by 19. Of the Church. 27. Of Baptism. 28. Of the Lord's Supper. 29. Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ. 30. Of both kinds. 31. Of Christ's one Oblation. 35. Of Homilies. 36. Of Consecrating of Ministers. 20. Of the Authority of the Church. 39. Of a Christian man's Oath. 1 2 KINDRED AND AFFINITY, WHEREIN WHOSOEVER ARE related are FORBIDDEN IN SCRIPTURE AND OUR LAWS TO MARRY TOGETHER. 3 Wife's Grandmother. 4 Father's Sister, 5 Mother's Sister, 6 Father's Brother's Wife. 7 Mother's Brother's Wife, 8 Wife's Father's Sister, 9 Wife's Mother's Sister. 10 Mother, 11 Step-Mother, 12 Wife's Mother. 13 Daughter, 14 Wife's Daughter, 15 Son's Wife. 16 Sister, 17 Wife's Sister, 18 Brother's Wife. 19 Son's Daughter, 20 Daughter's Daughter, 21 Son's Son's Wife. 22 Daughter's Son's Wife, 23 Wife's Son's Daughter, 24 Wife's Daughter's Daughter. 25 Brother's Daughter, 26 Sister's Daughter, 27 Brother's Son's Wife. 28 Sister's Son's Wife, 29 Wife's Brother's Daughter, 30 Wife's Sister's Daughter. |
Get this book in print
0 Reviews Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified Write review |