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ARTICLE XXIII.

OF MINISTERING IN THE CONGREGATION.

1 It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of public preaching, or ministering the sacraments in the congregation, before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same. 2 And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them in the congregation, to call and send ministers into the Lord's vineyard.

1 Jer. xxiii. 21; Heb. v. 4; Lev. viii. 2 Acts xiii. 2, 8; 1 Tim. iv. 14; 2 Tim. ii. 2; Tit, í. 5.

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.

11 Cor. xiv. 5, 9, 11, 23.

ARTICLE XXV.

OF THE SACRAMENTS.

1 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.

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3 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 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.

5 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.

Acts ii. 41, 42; Gal. iii. 27; 1 Cor. xi, 26. 3 Matt. xxviii. 19. 41 Cor. xi, 23-25.

21 Pet. ii. 20, 21; 1 Cor. x. 16. 51 Cor. xi. 27-29.

ARTICLE XXVI.

OF THE UNWORTHINESS OF THE MINISTERS, WHICH HINDERS NOT THE EFFECT OF THE SACRAMENTS.

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1 Although in the visible church the evil be ever mingled with the good, and sometime the evil have chief authority in the ministration of the word and sacraments; 2 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; 3 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 ministered unto them, which be effectual, because of Christ's institution and promise, although they may be ministered by evil men.

Nevertheless, it appertaineth to the discipline of the church, that inquiry be made of evil ministers, and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences; and finally, being found guilty, by just judgment be deposed.

1 John vi 70; Matt. xiii. 47, 48, 49. 2 Matt, xxiii, 2, ? 22, 23; Phil. i. 15, 18.

3 Matt. vii.

ARTICLE XXVII.

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OF BAPTISM.

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Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened; 2 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 forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed, 5 faith is confirmed, and grace increased, by virtue of prayer unto God. 7 The baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained in the church, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ.

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2 John iii. 5; Tit. iii. 5.
7 Gen. xvii, 9, 12;

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1 Acts ii. 41; See Art. XXV. Note 1. xii. 12, 13; Eph. i. 22, 23. 4 Acts ii. 38; xxii, 16; Gal. iv. 6. 41, 42. 6 Col. i. 9, 10; Luke xvii. 5, xi. 13. 13, 14, 15, 16; Acts ii, 38, 39; 1 Cor. vii. 14.

ARTICLE XXVIII.

OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

1 The supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves, one to another; 2 but rather it is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death, 3 insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith, receive the same, the bread which we break, is a partaking of the body

John iv. 11; 1 Cor. x. 17.

2 Luke xxii, 19, 20; Matt. xxi. 26, 29.

31 Cor. x. 16.

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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 is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions. 5 The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten, in supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner. 6 And the mean whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the supper is faith.

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7 The sacrament of the Lord's supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.

41 Cor. xi. 26. 5 John vi. 51, 54, 60, 61, 63. xxvi. 26, 27; See Note 2.

6 John vi. 35.

7 Matt.

ARTICLE XXIX.

OF THE WICKED, WHICH DO NOT EAT THE BODY OF CHRIST IN THE USE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

1 The wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith, although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth (as St. Augustine 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.

1 John xiii. 26, 27; 1 Cor. xi. 29.

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