tinued to be so universally understood, till the tenth or eleventh century, that it was unnecessary to change it. About that time the clergy became desirous of keeping the people in ignorance, and of making them believe that it was in their power, and a part of their office, to reconcile them to God. Thus was introduced and continued, the practice of performing service in the Latin language.

In defence of this worship some arguments are advanced: 1. From the authority of the Church, which has appointed it, and cannot err. This argument, however, is of no weight with us.

a

2. It is alleged, that the modern languages vary so fast, that if the service were expressed in them, it must either suffer continual alterations, or become quaint and obscure. But this objection might easily be removed; a few changes, at different times, would prevent such consequences. Our liturgy has been compiled upwards of two hundred and seventy years, and our translation of the Bible upwards of two hundred years, yet we perceive no harshness in the phrases used in them. The simplicity in which such forms must be expressed renders them not so subject to alterations as other compositions; but even if they were, the objection could not

a See Conc. Trid. sess. 22. c. 8,

counterbalance the greater evils which attend a service performed in an unknown tongue.

3. They say that the people have copies of the forms in their own language, and therefore our arguments are of no weight against them." But this is mere evasion; it is only practised since the Reformation begun, and is designed as an artifice, to conceal the real state of the fact.

4. They argue from the communion of saints, that it is necessary that priests, wherever they go, may be able to officiate, which cannot be done if every nation worships God in its own language. To this objection, it is sufficient to reply, that such a practice could only be necessary, when the See of Rome used to dispose of the best benefices to their own creatures, and thus, instead of taking care of the people that ought to be edified by the public worship, provision was made at their cost for such priests as have been in all ages the scandals of the Church, and the reproach of religion.

5. They urge the superscription on our Saviour's cross, which was expressed in the three languages, Greek, Syriac and Latin. Hence

This argument, so far from supporting their cause, admits the force of our objections. The question is, is it right to have the public service of the Church in an unknown tongue? If it is, why do they contradict themselves, by allowing the people to use a known tongue? or what reason can be assigned for thus departing from their own institution, but a conviction of its unjustifiableness?

they infer, that these languages only were to continue in use. But surely a whim of a heathen governor can be no foundation for a Christian doctrine. The title was thus expressed by Pilate, merely in order that it might be understood by all who were then at Jerusalem.

ARTICLE 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 al-
LOWED IN THE SCRIPTURES, BUT YET HAVE NOT LIKE
NATURE OF SACRAMENTS WITH BAPTISM AND THE

U

LORD'S SUPPER, FOR THAT THEY HAVE NOT ANY VISIBLE SIGN OR CEREMONY ORDAINED OF GOD. THE SACRAMENTS WERE NOT ORDAINED OF GOD 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 ST. PAUL SAITH.

THE form of this Article, as it is now expressed, is different from that published by king Edward. The latter began thus: "Our Lord Jesus "Christ gathered his people into a society, by 66 sacraments very few in number, most easily to "be kept, and of most excellent signification, "that is to say, baptism and the supper of the "Lord." The paragraph concerning the five pretended sacraments is omitted, and after the words now cited, follows the passage which is here the last, with the addition of this sentence after" operation:" "not, as some say, ex opere

66

operato, which terms, as they are strange, and "utterly unknown to the Holy Scripture, so do "they yield a sense, which savoureth of little

66

piety, but of much superstition ;" and the Article concludes with the sentence which begins that now before us. In this diversity, however, there is no real difference; for the virtue of the sacraments being said to consist in the worthy

receiving, excludes the doctrine of opus operatum as formally as if it had been expressly condemned, and the naming the two sacraments instituted by Christ is in fact the rejecting of the others.

The Article, as it now stands, consists of three parts: I. It defines the nature of a sacrament; II. It applies this definition to the rites which have obtained the name of sacraments; and III. It declares the use of the sacraments.

I. It defines the nature of a sacrament.

The word" sacrament" seems to be derived from the oaths by which the Roman soldiers were bound to their officers and standards. In this sense it is applied by Pliny to the vows or fœderal rites by which the Christians were tied to their religion.

b

In describing its nature, there are two extremes to be avoided: 1. On the one hand, some have conceived the sacraments to be no more than mere rites or ceremonies, in opposition to which the Article states that they are 66 not "merely badges or tokens of Christian men's "profession." With respect to this distinction

"See Plin. 1. 19. Ep. 97. This derivation seems to be still further confirmed by the following words of Tertullian: "Vocati sumus ad militiam Dei vivi jam tunc cum in sacramenti verba res"pondimus."-Tert. lib. ad Martyr. c. 3.

b This doctrine was held by the celebrated Reformer, Ulric Zuingle. See Oper. tom. 1. p. 368. Ed. 1530.