1. Divine Testimony.

New Testament. Col. iv. 16, "And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea."

2. Human Testimony.

A. Fathers. The Pastor of Hermas was read in the churches.

Hieron. in Catalog.
Ruffin. ad Expos.

Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib. III. c. iii.
Scriptor. Eccles. vol. II. p. 831.
Symb. p. 26. Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians
was read in the churches, Euseb. lib. IV. c. xiv. Hieron.
in Catal. Script. Eccles. vol. II. p. 843. So the Epistle
of Clement to the Corinthians, Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib.
III. c. xvi. Hieron. in Catal. Script. Eccles. vol. II.
p. 839.

B. Council. 3 Council of Carthage, Hard. vol. 1. p. 968.

LIBELLUS de Consecratione THE book of Consecration of Archiepiscoporum et Episcoporum, et de ordinatione Presbyterorum et Diaconorum, editus nuper temporibus Edvardi VI., et auctoritate Parliamenti illis ipsis temporibus confirmatus, omnia ad ejusmodi consecrationem et ordinationem necessaria continet, et nihil habet quod ex se sit aut superstitiosum aut impium; itaque quicunque juxta ritus illius libri consecrati aut ordinati sunt, ab anno secundo prædicti regis Edvardi usque ad hoc tempus, aut in posterum juxta eosdem ritus consecrabuntur aut ordinabuntur, rite, atque ordine, atque legitime, statuimus esse et fore consecratos et ordinatos.

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 anything, 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 aforenamed 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.

1 This Article is rehearsed in the Act for Uniformity, XIV Carol. II. 1662.

The Phraseology of this Article.

1. As compared with Article XXXV. of those of 1552.

Liber qui nuperrime auctori-
tate regis et Parliamenti
Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ tra-
ditus est, continens modum
et formam orandi, et sa-
cramenta administrandi in
Ecclesia Anglicana; si-
militer et libellus eadem
auctoritate editus de or-
dinatione ministrorum Ec-
clesiæ, quoad doctrinæ
veritatem, pii sunt, et
salutari doctrinæ evan-
gelii in nullo repugnant,
sed congruunt, et eandem
non parum promovent et
illustrant: atque ideo ab
omnibus Ecclesiæ Angli-
canæ fidelibus membris, et
maxime a ministris verbi,
cum omni promptitudine
animorum et gratiarum
actione recipiendi, appro-
bandi, et populo DEI
commendandi sunt.

B. In the English.

Of the Book of Prayer and
Ceremonies of the Church
of England.
The book,' which of very late
time was given to the
Church of England by the
king's authority, contain-

trorum Consecratione.

Libellus de Consecratione, &c.

Of the Consecration of
Bishops and Ministers.

The book of consecration of archbishops and bishops, &c.

ing the manner and form
of praying, and minister-
ing the sacraments in the
Church of England, like-
wise also the book of
ordering ministers of the
Church, set forth by the
foresaid authority, are
godly, and in no point
repugnant to the whole-
some doctrine of the gos-
pel, but agreeable there-
unto, furthering and beau-
tifying the same not a lit-
tle; and therefore all faith-
ful members of the Church
of England, and chiefly of
the ministers of the word,
they ought to be received,
and allowed with all readi-
ness of mind and thanks-
giving, and to be com-
mended to the people of
GOD.

2. When the Latin and English are compared with each other.

Esse et fore

Three PROPOSITIONS.

to be.

I. The book of Consecration of Archbishops, and Bishops, and ordering of Priests and Deacons, lately set forth in the time of Edward VI., and confirmed at the same time by authority of Parliament, doth contain all things necessary to such consecration and ordering.

II. The book of Consecration of Archbishops, and Bishops, and ordering of Priests and Deacons, lately set forth in the time of Edward VI., and confirmed at the same time by authority of Parliament, doth contain all things necessary to such consecration and ordering, and hath not anything that of itself is superstitious and ungodly.

III. Whosoever are consecrated and ordered according to the rites of that book, since the second year of the aforenamed 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.

PROP. I. The book of Consecration of Archbishops, and Bishops, and ordering of Priests and Deacons, lately set forth in the time of Edward VI., and confirmed at the same time by authority of Parliament, doth contain all things necessary to such consecration and ordering.

Divine Testimony.

New Testament. Acts xiii. 3, "And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." See also Acts vi. 6. 1 Tim. iv. 14. 2 Tim. i. 6.

Tit. i. 5.

PROP. II. The book of Consecration of Archbishops, and Bishops, and ordering of Priests and Deacons, lately set forth in the time of Edward VI., and confirmed at the same time by authority of Parliament, doth contain all things necessary to such consecration and ordering, and hath not any thing that of itself is superstitious and ungodly.

1. Divine Testimony.

Old Testament. Numb. xxvii. 18, 19, "And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him. And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight."

2. Human Testimony.

Fathers. Ignat. Epist. ad Smyrn. c. xii., "I salute your
right worthy Bishop, and your venerable presbytery, and
your deacons."-See also c. viii. Philad. cc. iv. vii. x.
Trall. cc. iii. vii. Magnes. cc. vi. xiii. Ephes. cc. ii. iii.
Polyc. c. vi. Clem. ad Cor. c. xliv. Just Mart.

iv. v.
Apol. Iren. adv. Hæres. lib. III. c. iii.

Tert. de Fuga, c. xi., who testifies also to the Apostolical origin of Episcopacy. De Præscript. Hæret. c. xxxii. De Fuga, c. xiii. adv. Marc. IV. c. v.

2 See Bishop Pearson's Vind. Ignat. P. 11. c. xiii.

X