not thence be proved. Again, they doubtless
believed that there were early precedents for the
form of Church-government they maintained,
for the different orders of the Ministry, and for
the mode of appointing each. They believed,
no doubt, as a fact, that the Apostles ordained
Ministers, and these, others, and so on in suc-
cession, down to the then-existing period. But
what was the basis on which they deliberately
chose to rest their system? On the declared
principle that "those and those only are to be
accounted as lawfully-appointed Ministers who
are called and sent out by those who have autho-
rity in the Congregation" (or Church) "to call
and send labourers into the Lord's vineyard:"
and though themselves deliberately adhering to
episcopal Ordination, they refrain, both in the
Article on the "Church" and in that on
ministering in the Church" from specifying
Episcopacy and episcopal Ordination as among
the essentials.

66

the Symbol

the delibe

rate decisions of our

§ 24. Some individuals among the Reformers The Articles have in some places used language which may embodying be understood as implying a more strict obligation to conform to ancient precedents than is Church. acknowledged in the Articles. But the Articles being deliberately and jointly drawn up for the very purpose of precisely determining what it was

designed should be determined respecting the points they treat of, and in order to supply to the Anglican Church their Confession of Faith on those points, it seems impossible that any man of ingenuous mind can appeal from the Articles, Liturgy, and Rubric, put forth as the authoritative declarations of the Church, to any other writings, whether by the same or by other authors. f On the contrary, the very circumstance that opinions going far beyond what the

f Articles XIX. XX. XXIII. XXXIV. XXXVI.

"XIX. Of the Church.-The visible Church of Christ ["ecclesia Christi visibilis est," &c. evidently A visible Church of Christ is a congregation, &c.] is a congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.

"As the Church of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred; so also the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of Ceremonies, but also in matters of Faith.

"XX. Of the Authority of the Church.-The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and authority in Controversies of Faith: And yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's Word written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore, although the Church be a witness and a keeper of holy Writ, yet, as it ought not to decree any thing against the same, so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation.

"XXIII. Of Ministering in the Congregation.-It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of public preaching, or ministering the Sacraments in the Congregation,

Articles express, or in other respects considerably differing from them, did exist, and were

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 public authority given unto them in the congregation, to call and send Ministers into the Lord's vineyard.

"XXXIV. Of the Traditions of the Church.-It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one, and utterly like; for at all times they have been divers, and may be changed according to the diversities of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's Word. Whosoever through his private judgment, 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 Magistrate, and woundeth the consciences of the weak brethren.

66

Every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain, change, and abolish, ceremonies or rites of the Church ordained only by man's authority, so that all things be done. to edifying.

"XXXVI. Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers.—The Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops, and Ordering of Priests and Deacons, lately set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth, and confirmed at the same time by authority of Parliament, doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and Ordering: neither hath it any thing, that of itself is superstitious and ungodly. And therefore whosoever are consecrated or ordered according to the Rites of that Book, since the second year of the forenamed King Edward unto this time, or hereafter shall be consecrated or ordered according to the same Rites; we decree all such to be rightly, orderly, and lawfully consecrated and ordered."

between what was

believed by

well known and current, in the days of our
reformers, gives even the more force to their
deliberate omissions of these, and their distinct
declaration of what they do mean to maintain.
It was not hastily and unadvisedly that they
based the doctrines of their Church on
"the
pure Word of God," and the claim of their
Church to the character of a Christian Com-
munity, on its being a Congregation of be-
lievers, in which that pure Word is preached, and
the Christian Sacraments duly administered."

66

Distinction Whatever therefore may have been the private opinion of any individuals among their number, any of the they have declared plainly what it was they and what agreed in regarding as a safe and sufficient was agreed foundation, and as essential, and consequently

Reformers,

on as essen

tial.

requiring to be set forth and embodied in the Symbol or Creed of their Church.

But neither the Reformers of our Church, nor any other human Being, could frame any expressions such as not to admit of being explained away, or the consequences of them somehow evaded, by an ingenious person who should resolutely set himself to the task. And accordingly our Church has been represented as resting her doctrines and her claims on Scripture and Tradition jointly, and " blended" together.

We have been told for instance of a person held up as a model of pure Anglican Church

principles, that he "submitted to the decisions of inspiration wherever it was to be found, whether in Scripture or Antiquity." And again we have been told that "Rome differs from us as to the authority which she ascribes to tradition: she regards it as co-ordinate, our divines as sub-ordinate; as to the way in which it is to be employed, she, as independent of Holy Scripture; ours, as subservient to, and blended with it: as to its limits, she supposes that the Church of Rome has the power of imposing new articles necessary to be believed for salvation; ours, that all such articles were comprised at first in the Creed, and that the Church has only the power of clearing, defining, and expounding these fixed articles."

can Church

Now if by "us" and "our divines" is to be The Angliunderstood certain individuals who profess does not adherence to the Church of England, the above dition with

description is, no doubt, very correct as far as relates to THEM: but if it be meant that such are the tenets of our Church itself as set forth in its authoritative Confession of faith,-the Articles, nothing can be more utterly unfounded, and indeed more opposite to the truth. Our Church not only does not "blend Scripture with Tradition," but takes the most scrupulous care to distinguish from every thing else the Holy Scriptures, as the sufficient and sole authoritative standard.

blend Tra

Scripture.