adv. Marc. lib. IV. c. xxii. Clem. Alex. Strom. v. p. 662. Pæd. lib. I. p. 258. Orat. cont. Gent. pp. 19-22, Basil, 1566. Orig. cont. Cels. lib. II. 40; c. Councils. Elvira, can. xxxvi. and xli. A.D. 305, (Bingh. PROP. IV. The Romish doctrine concerning worshipping and adoration of relicks is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the word of GOD." 2 The Romish doctrine concerning Worshipping and adoration of Relicks, Sess. XXV., "That he holy bodies of the holy martyrs, and others that live with CHRIST, and temples of the Holy Ghost, to be raised up by Him to A. Romish doctrine concerning worshipping and adoration of Relicks is a fond thing, i. e. repugnant to reason. B. The Romish doctrine concerning worshipping and adoration of Relicks is a thing vainly invented.—See Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. vol. II. p. 323, &c. C. The Romish doctrine concerning worshipping and adoration The Romanists allege Gen. 1. 24, 25. Matt. ix. 22. D. The Romish doctrine concerning worshipping and adoration Deut. xxxiv. 5, 6. 1 Sam. xxv. 1. 2 Kings ii. 11; xiii. 20, 21; xviii. 4; xxiii. 18. Matt. iv. 10; xiv. 12. Acts viii. 2. Rom. i. 25. Jude 9. [E. The Romish doctrine concerning worshipping and adoration of Relicks is repugnant to the faith and practice of the Primitive and the Reformed Churches. Just. Mart. Apol. I. 17, "We worship GoD only, but as to other things we joyfully obey you [the emperor]." Jerome on Matt. xxiii. Opp. tom. IV. col. 109, ed. Bened. Paris, 1706, "The Pharisees understood not that these things (the Commandments) are to be carried in the heart, and not in the body: for otherwise studies and chests have books, and have not the knowledge of GOD. Superstitious women with us even now do this, in little gospels, and in the wood of the cross, and such other things; which indeed have zeal towards God, but not according to knowledge; straining at a gnat, and swallowing a camel."-See also August. de Mor. Eccles. lib. 1. c. xxxiv. 75, tom. I. col. 713. Confess. lib. VI. c. ii. tom. I. cols. 119, 120. De Op. Monach. c. xxviii. 36, tom. VI. col. 498, Par. 1679-1700. Chrysost. on Matt. xxiii. Hom. XLIII. Opp. Lat. tom. I. col. 920, Paris, eternal life and glorified, are to be worshipped by the faithful, by which many benefits are performed to men. So that all such as affirm that honour and worship ought not to be given to the relicks of the saints, or that they and other holy monuments are unprofitably honoured by the faithful, and that for obtaining of their help the tombs of the saints are vainly frequented, are to be altogether condemned, and as the Church long since condemned such persons, so does she now condemn them."-Creed of Pope Pius IV., A.D. 1564, Art. 7, The relicks of the saints are to be venerated."-Trent Catechism, part III. 1570. Decret. Gelas. 1. in Crabh. Concil. Col. Agrip. 1551, c. xxvii. tom. I. p. 968. History of the Martyrdom of Ignatius, c. xii. Circular Epistle of the Church of Smyrna concerning the Martyrdom of Polycarp, c. xvii. Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iv. c. xv. xvi. p. 57, ed. Lut. Lactant. de fals. Rel. vol. 1. p. 88. Greg. Nazianz. in dist. vol. II. p. 146.]3 PROP. V. The Romish doctrine concerning Invocation of Saints is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of GOD. A. The Romish doctrine concerning Invocation of Saints is a fond thing. Prayer is the peculiar prerogative of GOD. The Romish doctrine transfers to men the glory due to GOD alone. It ascribes an omnipotency, omnipresence, and omniscience unto the dead. It ascribes to the dead the office of CHRIST the Mediator. B. The Romish doctrine concerning Invocation of Saints is a thing vainly invented. The Church does not allege the authority of Scripture, but the practice of the Apostolic Church-Ecclesiæ Apos- C. The Romish doctrine concerning Invocation of Saints is comp. vv. 3, 15, Luke i. 48, but D. The Romish doctrine concerning Invocation of Saints is repugnant to the Word of God. 3 The Romish doctrine concerning Invocation of Saints, Council of Trent, Sess. XXV., "That the saints reigning with CHRIST do offer up their prayers to GOD for men; that it is good and profitable, humbly to invocate (or pray unto) them, and for the obtaining of benefits from GoD by His SON JESUS CHRIST Our LORD, Who is our only Mediator and SAVIOUR, to fly to their prayers, help, and assistance. But such as deny that those that enjoy eternal happiness in heaven are to be called upon, or that assert either that they do not pray for men, or that to call upon them to pray for every one of us is idolatry, or repugnant to the Word of GOD, and injurious to the honour of the One Mediator between GOD and Man, the Man CHRIST JESUS, or say that it is a foolish thing to pray to such as reign in heaven with our voice or minds, do think impiously." "But if any one shall teach or think contrary to these decrees, let him be accursed." Creed of Pope Pius IV., A. D. 1564, Art. vII., (I constantly hold) "likewise that the saints reigning together with CHRIST are to be venerated and invoked, and that they offer prayers to God for us, and that their relicks are to be venerated."-See also Trent Catechism, part IV. a. Old Testament. Ps. lxv. 2, "O Thou that hearest prayer, unto THEE shall all flesh come."-See also Exod. xxxiv. 9. Deut. vii. 26; xxvii. 15. Job xv. 14-16. Ps. cvi. 28. Isa. xlii. 8; xlv. 20; xlviii. 11; lxiii. 16. Jer. x. 11. b. New Testament. 1 Tim. ii. 5, "There is one GOD, and one Mediator between GOD and men, the MAN CHRIST JESUS."-See also Matt. vi. 6. Luke iv. 8. [E. The Romish doctrine concerning Invocation of Saints is repugnant to the faith and practice of the Primitive and the Reformed Churches. a. Fathers. Epiphan. cont. Collyrid. Hær. 79, § 7, "Let Epiphan. contra CollyriAugust. Coll. c. Maxim. tom. VIII. col. 467; De Vera Relig. cap. ult.; De Civ. Dei, lib. VIII. c. xxvii. Chrysost. de Pœnit. Hom. IV. tom. II. p. 307, ed. Par. 1718-1738. Ambros. Comment. in Epist. ad Rom. cap. i. § 22, tom. II. Append. col. 33, ed. Par. 1686-1690. b. Councils. Laodicea, A.D. 361. Constantinople, A.D. 754. Frankfort, A. D. 794. c. Confessions. Helvetic, c. v. Basil, Art. x. §3. Wirtemburg, c. xvi. Bohemian, c. xvii. Gallican, Arts. xiv. §1; xxiv. Belgic, Art. xxvi. Augsburg, Art. xxi. Saxon, Arts. xi. xxii. Sueveland, Arts. xi. xxi. ARTICLE XXIII. ARTICULUS XXIII. De Ministrando in Ecclesia.1 NON licet cuiquam sumere sibi munus publice prædicandi, aut administrandi Sacramenta in Ecclesia, nisi prius fuerit ad hæc obeunda legitime vocatus et missus. Atque illos legitime vocatos et missos existimare debemus, qui per homines, quibus potestas vocandi ministros, atque mittendi in vineam DOMINI publice concessa est in Ecclesia, cooptati fuerint, et asciti in hoc opus. The Phraseology of this Article. ARTICLE 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, 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. 1. As compared with Article XXIV. of those of 1552. A. In the Latin. 1552. 1562, 1571. Title. Nemo in Ecclesia mi- De Ministrando in Ecclesia. nistret nisi vocatus B. In the English. Title. No man may minis Of ministering in the Congregation. ter in the Congregation 1 De Vocatione Ministrorum.-Day, 1571. Coaptati.-Day, 1571. The Puritans in the Hampton Court Conference objected to the words, "in the Congregation," as allowing men liberty to preach without a call out of the Congregation. |