The faith, doctrine, and religion, professed, & protected in the realme of England, and dominions of the same expressed in 39 articles, concordablie agreed vpon by the reuerend bishops, and clergie of this kingdome, at two seuerall meetings, or conuocations of theirs, in the yeares of our Lord, 1562, and 1604: the said articles analised into propositions, and the propositions prooued to be agreeable both to the written word of God, and to the extant confessions of all the neighbour churches, Christianlie reformed: the aduersaries also of note, and name, which from the apostles daies, and primitiue Church hetherto, haue crossed, or contradicted the said articles in generall, or any particle, or proposition arising from anie of them in particular, heereby are discouered, laid open, and so confuted. Perused, and by the lawfull authoritie of the Church of England, allowed to be publique.

1. Proposition. The effect of the word, and Sacraments, is not hindered by the bad∣nes of Ministers.

The proofe from Gods word.

OF the ministers ecclesiasticall the Church is to conceiue neither to sinisterly, as though their vnworthines could make the word, and Sacraments the lesse effectuall to such as worthily doe heare, and receiue them: nor on the otherside too highly, as if the dignitie of their calling were cause good e∣nough, that what they doe, or say ex opere operato, take happy ef∣fects.

These things from the Scriptures are manifest, which teach vs, that wicked ministers, euen the Scribes and Pharisies sit∣ting

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in Moses chaire a, and preaching Christ, though through enuie, strife, and contention b, are to be heard; and may admi∣nister the Sacraments; as did the ordinarie Priests among the Iewes, whereof very many, both afore, and after that our Saui∣our came into the world, were most wicked men: and the best which be are the ministers of God c, and Gods labourers d.

Also the purer Churches beare witnesse hereunto e.

Neither is hee (whosoeuer) that planteth any thing, neither hee that watereth, but God that giueth the encrease, saith S Paul f. And a signe of a good Spirit is it, to regard not so much who speaketh, or ministreth, as what is vttered, and offered from God.

Errors & Adversaries to this truth.

The due consideration of the praemises will both settle vs the more firmely in the truth; and make vs the more carefully to abhorre all adversaries thereof, as in old time were the do∣natists, and the Petilians, who taught that the Sacraments are holy,a when they be administred by holy men, but not els; al∣so the Apostolikes, or Henricans, who had a fancie that he was no Bishop, which was a wicked man b.

Among the Fathers also Cyprian, and Origen were not ••ound in this point. For Cyprian, published, that no minister could rightly baptize, who was not himselfe endued with the holy Ghost c, hee further deliuered, that whosoeuer doe com∣municate with a wicked minister, doe sinne d.

Origen held that in vaine did any minister either binde, or lose, who was himselfe bound with the chaines of ••inne, and wickednes e.

Such adversaries in our time be, the Anabaptists, the Family of Loue, the disciplinarians (vsually tearmed Puritants); the Sabbatarians; the Brownists; and the Papists. For

The Anabaptists will not haue the people to vse the mini∣sterie of euill ministers;f and thinke the seruice of wicked Mi∣nisters vnprofitable, and not effectuall: affirming that no man▪ who is himselfe faultie, can preach the truth to others.

The Familie of Loue doe say, that no man can minister the vpright seruice, or ceremonies of Christ, but the regenerate g, also that wicked men cannot teach the truth h.

The disciplinarian Puritans doe bring all ministers which cannot preach, and their seruices into detestation. For their do∣ctrine is, that

Where there is no Preacher, there ought to be no minister of the Sacraments i.

None must minister the Sacraments which doe not preach k.

The Sacrament is not a Sacrament if it be not ioyned to the word of God preached l.

It is sacriledge to seperate the ministration of the word preached from the Sacraments m.

Of these mens opinions be the Sabbatarians among vs. For their doctrine is to the common people, that vnlesse they leaue their vnpreaching ministers euery Sabboth day, and goe to some place where the word is preached they doe prophane the Sabboth, and subiect themselues vnto the curse of God n.

So the Brownists; No man is to communicate (say they) where there is a blinde, or dumme ministerie o.

The Papist doe crosse this truth, but after another sort. For

Pope Hildebrand decreed, and commanded, that no man should heare Masse from the mouth of a preist which hath a wife.

The Rhemists doe publish how.p

The Sermons of heretikes (and so tearme they all Pro∣testant ministers) q must not be heard, though they preach the truth. Their praiers, and Sacraments are not acceptable to God, but are the howling of wolues.r

Notes

• a

  Matth. 23.1.
• b

  Phil. 1.15.
• c

  1. Cor. 4.1.
• d

  1. Cor. 3.9.
• e

  Confess. Hel∣••et. 1. ar. 15.20.22. Hel••et. 2. c. 18.21.

  Bohem. c. 11.12. Gal. ar. 33-35. August. ar. 8. Saxon. ar. 11.13. VVittemb. ar. 31. Suc. ar. 13.
• f

  1. Cor. 3.7.
• a

  D. August. in Psal. 100. & 32. Idem contra petil. l. 1. c. 4.
• b

  Magdeburg, eccles. host. Cant. 1••. cap. 5. fol. 844.
• c

  D. ••yprian. epist. lib. 1. lib. ad M••g. ep. 6.
• d

  Ibid. ep. 4.
• e

  D. Orig. in Matth. tract. 1.
• f

  VVilk. a∣gainst the Fa. ar. 24. p. 66.
• g

  H.N. euang. c. 23.9.2.
• h

  ••am. 1. epist. to M. Rogers.
• i

  Lear. disc. p. 62.
• k

  ••.C. ••. cap. p. 104.
• l

  Ber. de Loque reas. of the Church. cap. 10.
• m

  Lear. disc. p. 60.
• n

  D.B. doc. of the Sab. 2. book. p. 173.
• o

  R. H. on Psal. 122.
• p

  B. Iewel. o•• Ag. 1. ser.
• q

  Test. Rhem. annot. tit. 3.10.
• r

  Jbid. an. Mar. 3.13.