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The Church a witness and keeper, &c.] See Rom. iii. 2. Unto them were committed the oracles of God.

Against the same] See Acts iv. 19. Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

Besides the same] See Gal. iii. 15. Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. And Gal. i. 9. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.-See also Art. VI.

ARTICLE XXI.

Of the Authority of General Councils. GENERAL Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes. And when they be gathered together, (forasmuch as they be an assembly of men, whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and Word of God) they may err, and sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining unto God. Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture.

May not be, &c.] Since it is not lawful for bishops to leave their own country, and go into other dominions, without the leave of their own princes, it follows, that they cannot without the will of princes assemble at general councils. There were indeed many Provincial Councils, but no General one, before Constantine, by whose Authority the first, that is, the Nicene Council was assembled, as also the following ones were by the Authority of the following emperors. See Rom. xiii. 1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.

Epist. ad
Trall.

Quis dives

See also Andrewes's Sermon of Calling Assemblies, Jewell's Apol. Def. Part VI. Ch. 12. Div. 2. &c. Hooker's Eccl. Pol. B. VIII. Field of the Church, B. V. Ch. 52.

May err] Since bishops are still but men, as well when they are in a council, as when they are out of it, and still liable to the weaknesses and imperfections of human nature, it is no wonder that what is human should err, and it is manifest that even they have actually erred.

See Bilson of Christian Subjection, Part II. p. 369. Prideaux's Fasc. Contr. Ch. 4. Q. 4. Jewell's Apol. Def. Part IV. Ch. 22. Div. 3, 4. Field of the Church, B. V. Ch. 51.

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Wherefore Things ordained, &c.] See Ignatius. "Stop your ears, if any man speak to you without Jesus "Christ." See also Article VI.

ARTICLE XXII.

Of Purgatory.

THE Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well of Images as of Reliques, and also Invocation of Saints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God.

Concerning Purgatory] Purgatory, as the Romanists pretend, is a certain place in hell, in which after this life those souls are purged or cleansed, which were not fully purged from their sins during this life.

But see 1 John i. 7. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. And Rev. xiv. 13. I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

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See also Clement of Alexandria. "He who receives the salv. c. 42. Angel of Repentance here, shall not repent when he "leaves the body; neither shall he be ashamed when he sees his Saviour coming in glory with his heavenly

p. 120.

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"host; neither shall he be afraid of the fire of hell."And St. Cyprian. "There is no confession in hell, nei- Epist. 55. "ther can there be any such confession there."

See also the Homily of Prayer, Part III. Stillingfleet's Idolatry of the Church of Rome, p. 189. Patrick's Answer to the Touch-stone, Sect. 47. Prideaux's Fasc. Contr. C. 4. Sect. 2. Q. 7. Jewell's Def. Apol. Part II. C. 16. Div. 1. Field of the Church, p. 355, 751.

Pardons] Or Indulgences. The Romanists raise a fund out of the superabundant merits of Christ and the saints, of which the Pope is the chief manager; who applies to whomsoever he pleases as much of these merits as he thinks fit, for the remission of such punishments as remain to be inflicted after the faults themselves are remitted. And this special grace or favour is called an Indulgence.

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p.

105.

But see 1 John i. 9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.-And Clement of Alexandria. "To re- Quis dives pent, is to be truly sensible of our sins past, and to beg salv. c. 40. pardon for them of the Father, who of all beings is the only one that can undo those things which are done, " and who only, by his mercy, and by the dew of his Spirit, can blot out our former transgressions: In which, "saith he, if I find you, for them will I judge you."

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See also Stillingfleet's Idolatry of the Church of Rome, p. 478. Patrick's Ans. to the Touch-stone, C. 16. Field of the Church, B. III. Append. C. 25.

Worshipping, &c.] The worshippers of images would fain clear themselves from the charge of idolatry, by distinguishing between an image and an idol, and between an absolute and a relative worship: but in vain; for God hath forbidden us to pay any religious worship to images, Exod. xx. 4, 5. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. And whence comes it that reliques are to be adored? The saints themselves, while they lived upon earth, rejected the adoration which was offered to them, and that too with indignation; as appears from Acts x. 25, 26. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. Are the reliques of the saints more holy than the saints themselves?

Institut.l.2. c. 1.

V. Euseb.
Hist. l. 4.

c. 15.

See also Deut. xxvii. 15. Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place: And all the people shall answer and say, Amen. And 1 John v. 21. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

See also Lactantius. "It is not to be doubted, but that "there is no religion, wherever there is an image. For "if religion relates to such things as are divine, and "there is nothing of what is divine but in heavenly "things; then images have nothing to do with religion: "because there can be nothing of heavenly in what is "made out of earthly things."

See also Stillingfleet's Idolatry of the Church of Rome, C. 1. Patrick's Answer to the Touch-stone, Sect. 35, 49. Homily against Idolatry. Jewell's Reply, Art. 14. Bilson of Christian Subj. Part. IV. p. 315.

Reliques]See 2 Kings xviii. 4. He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israeldid burn incense to it.—See also the Declaration of the Church of Smyrna. "Not

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knowing, that neither can we ever leave Christ, who "suffered for the salvation of all those who out of man"kind were to be saved, neither can we worship any other. "For we adore him as the Son of God; but we love the "martyrs as we ought to love them, as being the disci"ples and imitators of our Lord, and for the sake of their "unshaken affection to their King and Master.

Invocation of Saints] Since all invocation is vain, where there is no faith (see James i. 6. where we are commanded to ask in faith) and since there can be no faith, where there is no Word of God to support it; it follows, that the Invocation of Saints must be a vain thing, as not being founded upon any Word of God. Besides, since there is one Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. ii. 5.) who is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them, (Heb. vii. 25.) he, who betakes himself to the mediation of saints, affronts the true and only Mediator, Christ Jesus. See Psalm lxv. 2. O Thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. And Rev. xix. 10. I fell at his feet to Contra Cel- worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant: Worship God. See also St. Origen. "If we are to hearken to any one of those, who have formed

sum, l. 1.

p. 10.

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66 particular sects, which are famous among the Greeks or "Barbarians, how much more should we believe in Him, "who is God over all? In him who teaches us that he only is to be worshipped? and to look upon other things either as if they did not exist, or, if they do "exist, as worthy indeed of honour, but not of adora"tion, and religious worship?"

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See also Nowelli Catech. p. 105, &c. Prideaux's Fasc. Contr. C. 4. Sect. 2. Q.1. Patrick's Answer to the Touchstone, Sect. 33, 34. Stillingfleet's Idol. C. 2. Homily of Prayer, Part II. Field of the Church, B. III. Chap. 20. and Append. Ch. 22. Abbot's answer to Bishop's Epist. Sect. 9.

ARTICLE XXIII.

Of Ministering in the Congregation. Ir 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. 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.

To take upon him, &c.] Since the ministers of the Word and Sacraments are ambassadors for Christ, and ministers of God (2 Cor. v. 20. and vi. 4.) they must necessarily receive their authority from God, and be sent by him; and must not assume that authority to themselves, unless they are called to it by God. And since God our Saviour, from the time when he called the apostles, has not immediately called any one to the ministry; it follows, that they must be called by those whose business it is to call others. Thus the tles ordained presbyters and bishops, and the bishops ordained by the apostles did from thenceforth ordain others. See Acts xx. 28. Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you over

apos

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