Chapter 8: The Ministry of the Church

Article XXIII

OF MINISTERING IN THE CONGREGATION^[1]

It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of publick 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 publick authority given unto them in the Congregation, to call and send Ministers into the Lord’s vineyard.

Article XXXVI

OF CONSECRATION OF BISHOPS AND MINISTERS^[2]

The Book of Consecration of 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 any thing, that of itself is superstitious or 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.

THESE two Articles must be considered together in order to get a complete statement of our doctrine of the Ministry. In general, Article XXIII asserts the distinction between clergy and laity, and the necessity of being ‘lawfully called and sent’, against Anabaptists who held that only the inward call of God is necessary. While Article XXXVI refers to the form of the Ministry, and the requirements for valid ordinations and consecrations as set forth in the Ordinal.

Even a cursory reading of the New Testament indicates the very significant difference between the Apostles and other members of the Church. During His Ministry our Lord had

^[1]Derived partly from the 10th of the Thirteen Articles of 1538 (which attempted to find a compromise between Anglicans and Lutherans), and partly from the Confession of Augsburg. This accounts for its vagueness.

^[2]This Article dates from 1563 and was drawn up to vindicate our Ordinal against (i) Roman Catholics who denied the validity of our Orders, and (ii) Puritans, who objected to the words ‘Receive the Holy Ghost’ and regarded parts of the Ordinal as ‘superstitious or ungodly.’


	The Ministry of the Church
PREVIOUS 124 NEXT
Title Contents Preface Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Site Search: powered by FreeFind Copyright & Credit	Article XXIII OF MINISTERING IN THE CONGREGATION^[1] It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of publick 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 publick authority given unto them in the Congregation, to call and send Ministers into the Lord’s vineyard. Article XXXVI OF CONSECRATION OF BISHOPS AND MINISTERS^[2] The Book of Consecration of 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 any thing, that of itself is superstitious or 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. THESE two Articles must be considered together in order to get a complete statement of our doctrine of the Ministry. In general, Article XXIII asserts the distinction between clergy and laity, and the necessity of being ‘lawfully called and sent’, against Anabaptists who held that only the inward call of God is necessary. While Article XXXVI refers to the form of the Ministry, and the requirements for valid ordinations and consecrations as set forth in the Ordinal. Even a cursory reading of the New Testament indicates the very significant difference between the Apostles and other members of the Church. During His Ministry our Lord had ^[1]Derived partly from the 10th of the Thirteen Articles of 1538 (which attempted to find a compromise between Anglicans and Lutherans), and partly from the Confession of Augsburg. This accounts for its vagueness. ^[2]This Article dates from 1563 and was drawn up to vindicate our Ordinal against (i) Roman Catholics who denied the validity of our Orders, and (ii) Puritans, who objected to the words ‘Receive the Holy Ghost’ and regarded parts of the Ordinal as ‘superstitious or ungodly.’
PREVIOUS 124 NEXT