exhorteth, on exhortation. Rom. xii. 6, 7, 8. Which say I now again, If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Gal. i. 8, 9. CCCXXII. Article XXI. Of the Authority of General Councils. 1. General Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes. 1. Let every soul be powers. For there is no subject unto the higher power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Rom. xiii. 1. 2. And when they be gathered together, (forasmuch as they be an assembly of men, whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and Word of God,) they may err, and sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining unto God. Wherefore, things ordained by them as necessary to salvation, have neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out of Holy Scripture. 1. The Romish Doctrine and Adora of Reliques, and also In vocation of Saints, is a fond thing, vainly in vented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, 2. Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it. Deut. iv. 1, 2. Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments: I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments and do them. Ezek. xx. 18, 19. To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isa. viii. 20. CCCXXIII. Article XXII. Of Purgatory. 1. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John i. 7. I heard a voice from concerning heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead Purgatory, Pardons, which die in the Lord from henceforth yea, saith Worshipping the Spirit, that may rest from their labours; and tion, as well their works do follow them. Rev. xiv. 13. And of Images as Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Luke xxiii. 43. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. Eccl. ix. 10. None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. Psal. xlix. 7. I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins. Isa. xliii. 25. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. John i. 29. Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Cor. vi. 11. By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Heb. x. 14. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple. Rev. vii. 14, 15. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have And all the people Deut. xxvii. 15. I rebelled against him. Dan. ix. 9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John i. 9. Why doth this man thus speak blas phemies? who can forgive sins but God only? Mark ii. 7. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God. Exod. xx. 3, 4, 5. Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. shall answer and say, Amen. am the Lord that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graver images. Isa. xlii. 8. He removed the high places. and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. 2 Kings xviii. 4. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him: but, Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. Acts x. 25, 26. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein. Acts xiv. 13, 14, 15. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant. Rev. xix. 10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, 2. but nant to the Satan for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Matt. iv. 10. He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? Isa. xliv. 20. 2. I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire rather repug- to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far betWord of God. ter. Phil. i. 23. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 2 Cor. v. 8. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. Rom. viii. 1. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. Col. ii. 18. Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret. Matt. vi. 6. There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Tim. ii. 5. He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Heb. vii. 25. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. Psal. lxv. 2. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John v. It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the or minister 21. CCCXXIV. Article XXIII. Of Ministering in the I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. Jer. xxiii. 21. And no man taketh this honour unto Office of pub- himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. lic preaching, So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an High Priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, To day have I begotten thee. Heb. v. 4, 5.—See Lev. viii. They gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all ing the Sa craments in the Congre gation, before he be lawfully called, and nt to ex cute the same. And those we ought to judge law. fully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them in the Congrega tion to call and send Ministers into the Lord's vinevard. the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed; and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel. Num. xvi. 3. 35. 38. But when Uzziah was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that were valiant men and they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrusi him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him. 2 Chron. xxvi. 16 to 20. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach. Mark iii. 14. After these thing the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Luke x. 1. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. John xx. 21. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am |