Ad. Cor. c. 40, 41.

Ad. Cor. c. 44.

Epist. ad
Ephes.

seers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. And Heb. v. 4. No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that was called of God, as was Aaron.

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See also Clement of Rome. "The High-Priest hath his proper ministry allotted him; the priests have their proper place assigned them; the Levites likewise have their proper services appointed them: and thus the layman "is to perform such things as belong to laymen. Let every one of you, my brethren, in his proper place and "station, give thanks to God, keeping a good conscience, "and taking care, with due gravity, not to trangress the "prescribed rule of his ministry, or his duty."

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See also Hooker's Eccl. Pol. B. V. Sect. 77. Potter of Church-government, Ch. 4, 5.

By Men who have publick Authority, &c.] We know that this power was granted to the bishops only from the age of the apostles to the time of the Reformation, but that from thenceforwards some churches, who in other things were rightly reformed, have allowed it also to presbyters; whether justly or not, we leave it to themselves to consider. We neither judge, nor despise them. But the case is widely different with our own countrymen, who, rebelling against an excellently well constituted church, have arrogated to themselves this power of ordination. These therefore we rightfully and deservedly account guilty of schism and irregularity.

See Tit. i. 5. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee.

See also Clement of Rome. "Our apostles knew from 66 our Lord Jesus Christ, that there would arise a conten"tion about the name of bishops. For this reason, having "had a perfect knowledge of them, they chose the afore"said persons, and invested them with the pastoral care, "that, after their death, other men also, having first been "tried, and approved, might still succeed them in their "office."-And Ignatius. "Since charity does not per"mit me to be silent concerning you, I have therefore "written to you first, to exhort you to concur with the "sentence of God. For Jesus Christ, who is inseparably "the life of our souls, is the Sentence of the Father; as "also the bishops, who are appointed even to the ends "of the earth, are the sentence of Jesus Christ."

See also Bilson's Perpetual Government, C. 12, 13. Hall's Episcopacy by Divine Right, Part II. Hooker's Eccl. Pol. B. VII. Sect. 5. Bishop Lloyd's Historical Account of Church Government. Burscough of Schism, Sect. 2, 3. Scott's Christian Life, Part II. Ch. 7. Sect. 10. Field of the Church, B. III. Ch. 39. and B. V. Ch. 27.

ARTICLE XXIV.

Of speaking in the Congregation in such a tongue as the people understandeth.

It is a Thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the Custom of the Primitive Church, to have public prayer in the Church, or to minister the Sacraments, in a tongue not understanded of the people.

Tongue not understanded, &c.] Since all divine worship is rather an act of the mind than of the body, it follows, that the worship in which the mind is not concerned, is impious and absurd.

See 1 Cor. xiv. 11. If I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian: and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. And Verses 14-19. If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. See also John iv. 24. God is a spirit; and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth.

See also Justin Martyr. "On the day which is called Apol. I. "Sunday, there is an assembly of all those who live either c. 87.

sum, 1. 8. p. 402.

Dominica.

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"in cities, or in the country; and the books of the Pro"phets, or the Writings of the Apostles, are there read, as long as time will permit. When the reader has done, "he who presides in the assembly makes an harangue, in "which he admonishes and exhorts us to imitate and prac"tise the fine things we have heard. Then we all rise up Apolog. Adv" with one consent, and send forth our prayers to God.” Gent. c. 39. —And Tertullian. "We go together into our assemblies, that, as it were with a well disciplined body, we may surround God by our Prayers. This force is acContra Cel-"ceptable to God." And Origen. Every one prays in "his own tongue, and praises God according to his power; and the Lord of all tongues hears them praying "with all their several tongues." And St. Cyprian. De Oratione "When we stand up to pray, my dearly beloved brethren, we ought to watch and attend to our prayers with our "whole heart. All carnal and worldly thoughts should "be discarded, and the mind should be solely intent upon "what it prays for. And therefore the priest, before the "prayer, doth by a preface prepare the minds of the bre"thren, saying, Lift up your hearts; that while the People "answer, We lift them up unto the Lord, they may be ad"monished that they ought to think of nothing else but "the Lord. Our breast should be then shut against the "Adversary, and open to God only: neither should God's enemy be suffered to come near it in the time of prayer. For he frequently steals upon us, and gets ad"mission into us, and by his subtle deceit diverts our prayers from God: so that we have one thing in our "mouth, and another in our heart: whereas we ought "to pray to the Lord, not only with the sound of the "voice, but with the sincere intenseness of the mind and spirit."

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See also the Homily of Common Prayer and Sacraments. Patrick's Answer to the Touch-stone, Sect. 52. Jewell's Reply, Art. 3. Nowelli Catech. p. 112. Bilson of Christian Subjection, Part IV. p. 393. Field of the Church, Append. to B. III. p. 238.

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 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 St. Paul saith.

Not only badges or tokens, &c.] The Sacraments are indeed tokens, by which Christians are distinguished from

infidels; but, moreover, they are visible signs of an invisible grace, and do really convey that grace, of which they are signs, to those who receive them worthily. But they do this, not by their own virtue, but by the operation of the Holy Spirit accompanying them. Now since to institute Sacraments belongs only to him, who has the power of conferring that grace which accompanies them, they cannot be more than God himself hath instituted.

They be certain sure witnesses, &c.] See Acts ii. 38. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. And 1 Cor. x. 16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? And Eph. v. 26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water, by the word.

There are two, &c.] It is plain that Christ instituted only two Sacraments, to wit, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord; for to these only doth the definition of a Sacrament agree.

Baptism.] See Matt. xxviii. 19. Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

The Supper of the Lord.] See 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24, 25, 26, I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

Those five, &c.] The word Sacrament is indeed used by the Fathers to signify almost every sacred rite, or every holy thing but if that word be taken in a proper sense, for An outward sign of a covenant between God and men, instituted by God himself for a pledge of our justification, and a means of our sanctification, which is the ratio formalis, the constituent part of a Sacrament, or that without which, properly speaking, it could not possibly be one; then those five must presently be excluded from the number of Sacraments.