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under the Earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyfelf to them, nor ferve them.

4 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, which Mofes had made, for unto thofe Days the Children of Ifrael did burn 'In-. cense to it.

5 Acts x. 25, 26. As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his Feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, faying, Stand up, I myself also am a Man. Acts xiv. 13. Then the Prieft of Jupiter, which was before the City, brought Oxen and Garlands unto the Gates, and would have done Sacrifice with the People. Which when the Apoftles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their Clothes, and ran in among the People, crying out, and faying, Sirs, why do ye these Things we alfo are Men of like Paffions with you, &c. Rev. xix. 10. I fell at his Feet to worship him, and He faid unto me, fee thou do it not, I am thy Fellow-Servant: Worship GOD.

6 Matt. iv. 1o. It is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

ARTICLE XXIII.

Of Miniftring in the Congregation.

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T is not lawful for any Man to take upon him the Office of public Preaching, or Miniftring the Sacraments in the Congregation, before he be lawfully called and fent to execute the fame. And thofe we ought to judge lawfully called and fent, which be chofen and called to this Work by Men who have public Authority given unto them in the Congregation, to call and fend Minifters into the Lord's Vineyard.

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1 Jer. xxiii. 21. I have not fent thefe Prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophefied.

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* Acts xiii. 2. As they minifter'd to the Lord, and fafted, the holy Ghoft faid, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the Work whereunto I have called them. And (Ver. 3.) when they had fafted and prayed, and laid their Hands on them, they fent them away. I Tim. iv. 14. Neglect not the Gift that is in thee, which was given thee by Prophecy, with the laying on of the Hands of the Prefbytery. 2 Tim. ii. 2. The Things that thou haft heard of me among many Witneffes, the fame commit thou to faithful Men, who fhall be able to teach others alfo. Tit. i. 5. For this Purpose I left Thee in Crete, that thou shouldft fet in Order the Things that are wanting, and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee.

ARTICLE XXIV.

Of speaking in the Congregation in fuch a Tongue as the People underfandeth.

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T is a Thing plainly repugnant to the Word. of GOD, and the Cuftom of the primitive Church, to have public Prayer in the Church, or to minifter the Sacraments in a Tongue not underftanded by the People.

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I Cor. xiv. 2, &c. He that fpeaketh in an unknown Tongue, fpeaketh not unto Men, but unto God: For no Man underftandeth him; howbeit, in the Spirit he fpeaketh Myfteries. But he that prophefieth, speaketh unto Men to Edification, and Exhortation, and Comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown Tongue, edifieth himfelf; but he that prophefieth, edifieth the Church. I would that ye all fpake with Tongues, but rather that ye prophefied: For greater is he that prophefieth, than he that fpeaketh with Tongues, except he interpret, that the Church may receive edifying. Now, Brethren, if I come unto you, fpeaking with Tongues, what shall I profit you, except I fpeak to you either by, Revelation, or

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by Knowledge, or by Prophefying, or by Doctrine? And even Things without Life giving Sound, whether Pipe or Harp, except they give a Diftinction in the Sounds, how fhall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the Trumpet give an uncertain Sound, who fhall prepare himfelf to Battle? So likewife ye, except ye utter by the Tongue Words eafy to be underftood, how fhall it be known what is fpoken? For ye fhall fpeak into the Air, There are, it may be, fo many Kinds of Voices in the World, and none of them is without Signification, Therefore, if I know not the Meaning of the Voice, I fhall be unto him that fpeaketh a Barbarian, and he that fpeaketh fhall be a Barbarian unto me. Even fo ye, forafmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual Gifts, feek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church. Wherefore, let him that fpeaketh in an unknown Tongue, pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown Tongue, my Spirit prayeth, but my Understanding is unfruitful, What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit, I will pray with the Understanding alfo: I will fing with the Spirit, I will fing with the Understanding alfo. Elfe when thou fhall blefs with the Spirit, how fhall he that occupieth the Room of the Unlearned, fay Amen at thy giving of Thanks, feeing he underftandeth not what thou fayeft? For thou verily giveft Thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God, I fpeak with Tongues more than you all: Yet in the Church I had rather speak five Words with my Understanding, that by my Voice I might teach others alfo, than ten thousand Words in an unknown Tongue.

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ARTICLE XXV.

Of the Sacraments,

Acraments ordained of Chrift, be not only Badges or Tokens of Chriftian Men's Profeffion; but rather they be certain fure Witneffes, and effectual Signs of Grace and God's good Will towards us, by the which he doth work

invifibly

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invifibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but alfo ftrengthen and confirm our Faith in hin There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gofpel, that is to fay, 3 Baptifm, and the Supper of the Lord. Those five commonly called Sacraments, that is to fay, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and extreme Unction, are not to be counted Sacraments of the Gof pel, being fuch as have grown, partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles, partly are States of Life allowed by the Scriptures: But yet have not like Nature of Sacraments with Baptifm and the Lord's Supper, for that they have not any vifible Sign or Ceremony ordained of God. The Sacraments were not of Chrift to be gazed upon, or be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in fuch only as worthily receive the fame, they have a wholfome Effect or Operation: But they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves Damnation, as St. Paul faith.

Acts ii. 41, 42. Then they that gladly received his Word were baptized, and the fame Day there were added unto them about three thoufand Souls. And they continued ftedfaftly in the Apoftles Doctrine and Fellowship, and in breaking of Bread, &c.

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1 Pet. iii. 20, 21. The Long-fuffering of God waited in the Days of Noah, while the Ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight Souls. were faved by Waters. the like Figure whereunto even Baptifmoth alfo now fave us (not the putting away of the Filth of the Fleth, but the Answer of a good Confcience towards God) by the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift. 1 Cor. x. 16. The Cup of Bleffing, which we blefs, is it not the Communion of the Blood of Chrift? The Bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the Body of Chrift?

3 Matt. xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them,

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I Cor. xi. 23. The Lord Jefus, the fame Night in which he was betrayed, took Bread. Ver. 24. And when he had given Thanks, he brake it, and faid, Take, eat, this is my Body which is broken for you; this do in Remembrance of me. Ver. 25. After the fame Manner alfo he took the Cup, when he had fupped, faying, This Cup is the New Teftament in my Blood, this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in Remembrance of me. Ver. 26. For as often as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye do fhew the Lord's Death till he come.

s Aas viii. 13. Then Simon himself believed alfo; and. when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the Miracles and Signs which were done. Ver. 18. And when Simon faw that through laying on of the Apoftle's Hands, the holy Ghoft was given, he offered them Money. Ver. 19. Saying, give me alfo this Power, that on whomfoever I lay Hands, he may receive the holy Ghoft. Ver. 20. But Peter faid unto him, thy Money perish with thee, becaufe thou haft thought that the Gift of God may be purchased with Money. Ver. 21. Thou haft neither Part nor Lot in this Matter: For thy Heart is not right in the Sight of God. 1 Cor. xi. 27. Whofoever fhall eat this Bread, and drink this Cup unworthily, fhall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Ver. 28. But let a Man examine himself, and fo let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. Ver. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh Damnation to' himself, not discerning the Lord's Body."

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ARTICLE XXVI.

Of the Unworthiness of the Minifters, which hinders not the Effect of the Sacraments.

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Lthough in the vifible Church the Evil be ever mingled with the Good, and fometime the Evil have chief Authority in the Miniftration of the Word and Sacraments; yet forafmuch as:

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