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ordained againft God's Word. Whosoever through his private judgement, willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church, which be not repugnant to the Word of God, and be ordained and approved by common 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 Magiftrate, and woundeth the confciences 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, fo that all things be done to edifying.

Tradition and Ceremonies.] If a neceffity were laid upon the Church of God, to obferve the fame Tradition and Ceremonies at all times and Places, then the ceremonies, &c. of the Old Law had remained, and not been abolished; but we find the Apoftles themselves gave precedents of altering them as place or conveniency did fuit. Acts vi. 14, 46. Gal. xi. 3. Ads xiii. 14, 17.- "" Rights and Ceremonies are matters indif"ferent in themselves; but when they are established by autho"rity of the Church, they cught to be obferved by all, upon "the account of the reverence due to that authority, which is "derived from God; who hath commanded us to obey them, who "have the rule over us, &c." Heb. xiii, 17. (“ He who acts "otherwife, is a Schifmatick.") Archdeacon Welchman. And fuch ought to be rebuked openly, that others may fear. For though great is the privilege of the Church and people of God, as touching rights and ceremonies; yet the Church notwithstanding, and every member thereof in his place, is bound by law of confcience to obferve all thofe ceremonies which are lawful, and not repugnant to the word of God, Let all things be done decently and in order, and to the use of edifying. 1 Cor. xiv. 40. And follow after the things that make for peace. Rom.'

1 Pet. ii.

xiv. 19.

13.

G

ART.

*ART. XXXV. Of the Homilies.

THE

HE fecond Book of Homilies, the several titles whereof we have joined under this Article, doth contain a godly and wholfome doctrine, and neceffary for thefe times, as doth the former Book of Homilies, which were fet forth in the time of Edward the Sixth; and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the Minifters, diligently and diftinctly, that they may be understanded of the people.

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4 Against Gluttony and Drunkenness.

6 Against Excess of Apparel.

7 Of Prayer.

15 Of the worthy receive

ing the Sacrament.

16 Of the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

8 Of the Place and Time 17 Of Rogation Days.

of Prayer. 18 Of Matrimony. 9 That Common Prayer 19 Of Repentance.

and Sacraments ought 20 Against Idleness. to be ministered in a 21 Against Rebellion.

*As touching this Article, it is not whether thefe Homilies contain found and wholesome Doctrine, but whether they may be read in the open Church. Second

3

Second Book of Homilies, &c.] In this article, the doctrine contained in the Books of the Homilies is afferted in oppofition to the Romanifts, who have condemned them as heretical; and the reading them in Churches is approved of, in oppofition to the Puritans, who have contended that nothing ought to be publickly read in Churches befides the holy fcriptures, which is an error easily to be confuted, witnefs St. Paul's Epiftles; fee Rom. i. 15.-x. 8. See also Whitgift's Defence.

If nothing but the plain fcriptures were to be read in Churches, there would be an end at once of all fermon preaching both written and extempore: except a minifter expounds as well as preaches, he would very little edify his hearers.

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"I cannot but magnify the goodness of God for all good means to bring us unto Faith, and fo unto Salvation; but especially for the written-labours of holy and learned men, "whose writings in all ages not only have been approved of, "but likewife ufed and read in the most facred affemblies. In "the primitive Church were publickly read the Epiftles of Cle"mentus Hermes, Calvin's Sermons, the Homilies of the fathers, "and many other godly books. St. Paul preached the gospel "as well by his writings as his fpeaking; and he encourages "his Son Timothy to do the fame." 1 Tim. iv. 6.-16. The Doctrine contained in the Homilies is not only found, but they greatly confirm the teftimonies of the Fathers. Tho. Rogers, Archdeacon Welchman.

ART. XXXVI. Of the Confecration of Bishops and Minifters.

HE Book of Confecration of Archbishops

TH

and Bishops, and Ordering of Priests and Deacons, lately fet forth in the time of Edward VI. and confirmed at the fame time by authority of Parliament, doth contain all things neceffary to fuch Confecration and Ordering; neither hath it any thing that of itself is fuperftitious and un. godly. And therefore whosoever are confecrated

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or ordered according to the rites of that book, fince the fecond year of the forenamed King Edward, unto this time, or hereafter fhall be confecrated or ordered according to the fame rites, we decree all fuch to be rightly, orderly, and law. fully confecrated and ordered.

Confecration of Biskopt, &c.] Is agreeable to the word of God, and practice of the primitive Church; that there should be Archbishops, Bishops, Prefbyters, and fuch like differences and inequalities of Ecclefiaftical Minifters was begun by, and established in the Apostles days, who themselves were in dignity above the Evangelifts, and the 70 difciples (fent out to preach the Gospel); and held the authority in and over the Churches as the 12 Patriarchs, who also established ecclefiaftical Hierarchy. So we find that James was Bishop of Jerufalem; Peter, of Antioch; John, of the Afiatic Churches; Mark, of Alexandria ; Timothy, of Ephesus and all Afia; Titus, of Crete, of Philippi; Ephaphroditus, of Corinth and Achaia; Apolles, of Athens ; Dionyfius, of France; and Crefcens, of Britain. Thus in those early and purer times fucceeding the Apoftles, fo approved was the administration of the Church affairs by fuch kind of men as they ordained.

They ratified the decrees of ecclefiaftical fupremacies at the first, by the most famous Council of Nice, fays Bafil. And they gloried much that they had received the Apostles doctrine, by fucceffion of Bishops, in the room of the Apoftles after their decease; as their goodly monuments, worthy labours and books yet extant, do fufficiently teflify, viz. Irenæus was bishop of Lyons; Ignatius was bishop of Antioch; St. Cyprian, of Carthage; Cyrill, of Jerufalem; Athanafius, of Alexandria; Bafil, of CeJarea, of all Thracia, Afia and Pontus; St. Chryfoftome, Hilary, &c. Augufline, of Hippo; St. Ambrofe. All moft noble infiruments for the advancement of God's honor and glory in those days. See Beza's Epiftle,

The manner of confecrating Bishops, &c. we find defcribed by St. Paul.-Whom they fet before the Apofiles, and when they bad prayed, they laid their hands on them. See Acts xiii. 3.

1 Tim.

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1 Tim. iv. 14. and 2 Tim. i. 6. See Hooker's Eccl. Pol. Field of the Church, &c. B. v. ch. 56.

B. v.

ART. XXXVII. Of the Civil Magiftrates.

TH

HE King's Majefty hath the chief power in this Realm of England, and other the dominions, unto whom the chief goverment of all eftates of this realm, whether they be Ecclefiaftical or Civil, in all caufes doth appertain, and is not, nor ought to be fubject to any foreign jurif diction.

Whereas we attribute to the King's Majefty the chief government, by which title we understand the minds of fome flanderous folks to be offended; We give not to our Prince the miniftring either of God's Word, or the Sacraments, the which thing the Injunctions alfo lately fet forth by Elizabeth our Queen, do moft plainly testify: but that only prerogative which we fee to have been given always to all godly Princes in holy Scriptures by God himself; that is, that they fhould rule all eftates and degrees committed to their charge by God, whether they be Ecclefiacal or temporal, and reftrain with the civil fword the ftubborn and evil-doors.

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

The laws of the realm may punish Christian men with death, for heinous and grievous offences.

It

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