Chapter 9: The Sacraments

The Article declares that since the Ministry is of Christ’s institution, its members bear His Commission, act in His Name, and on His authority; so that the validity of their ministrations in Word and Sacraments rests on His appointment, and not on their character: ‘Neither is the effect of Christ’s ordinance taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace of God’s gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministered unto them; which be effectual, because of Christ’s institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men.’ This is the normal relation between executive and administrative authority in civil affairs also. If sacramental grace depended on the moral perfection of the priesthood, the fact of man’s universal sinfulness would make its ministration impossible. It is a typical mistake of religious extremists to concentrate on the ideal and adopt impracticable, unrealistic opinions; they are impatient with the present state of things and like the servants in the Parable of the Tares,^[1] want to remove the evil element immediately; they cannot wait in hope till ‘that which is perfect is come’. As we saw in Article XIX, the Apostolic writers of the New Testament cling to the paradox that the Church both is the Body of Christ and also consists of sinful and fallible members. Articles XII and XIV also emphasize that even man’s best efforts to do good are tainted with imperfection.

All the important Protestant Confessions as well as the Roman Church are in substantial agreement with the teaching of the Article, which has also the support of Scripture. In spite of their hypocrisy, Jesus allows that the Scribes and Pharisees are the accredited interpreters of the Law and commands obedience to their teaching.^[2] It is not the preacher or instructor that counts, according to St. Paul, but God’s blessing on the word spoken;^[3] whether Christ is proclaimed out of envy and strife or sincerely and of goodwill, the important thing is that in either case He is proclaimed.^[4]

The need of discipline for offending Ministers, referred to in the concluding part of the Article, is obvious. Clearly it is appropriate that God’s ‘Priests should be clothed with righteousness’.^[5] Christian living has always been the Church’s strongest apologetic and appeal; the believer ought to be distinguishable by his conduct. Although the ordinances of Christ when administered by an unworthy Priest do not cease to be channels of grace to the faithful soul, still the Minister’s personal influence for good and his Christlike example go together. The Article therefore stresses that though the grace of God is independent of an evil ministry, yet the Church must exercise discipline to exclude evil Ministers.^[6] It was originally directed against the Anabaptists who refused to come to Holy Communion if they considered the Minister^[7] was living in sin. Scholars differ as to whether the Article was directed also against the Roman Catholic doctrine of Intention,^[8] but it does effectively repudiate that doctrine too.

^[1]Mtt. 13:24-30, 47 ff., 22:10.

^[2]Mtt. 23:2 f.

^[3]1 Cor. 3:5-6.

^[4]Phil. 1:15-18.

^[5]Ps. 132:9.

^[6]1 Tim. 5:20, 22 (R. V.).

^[7]Throughout the Article, and in its title, ‘Minister’ is used as including the three Orders. A Deacon may minister Holy Baptism, and the Celebrant at Holy Communion may be either a Priest or a Bishop (or Archbishop).

^[8]The Council of Trent declared that the validity of the Sacraments depends on the Celebrant having the intention ‘of doing what the Church does.’ But such a doctrine makes the Sacraments depend not only on the moral character of the Minister, but also on his caprice. We could never be sure whether he was ministering a true Sacrament or not.


	The Sacraments
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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	The Article declares that since the Ministry is of Christ’s institution, its members bear His Commission, act in His Name, and on His authority; so that the validity of their ministrations in Word and Sacraments rests on His appointment, and not on their character: ‘Neither is the effect of Christ’s ordinance taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace of God’s gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministered unto them; which be effectual, because of Christ’s institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men.’ This is the normal relation between executive and administrative authority in civil affairs also. If sacramental grace depended on the moral perfection of the priesthood, the fact of man’s universal sinfulness would make its ministration impossible. It is a typical mistake of religious extremists to concentrate on the ideal and adopt impracticable, unrealistic opinions; they are impatient with the present state of things and like the servants in the Parable of the Tares,^[1] want to remove the evil element immediately; they cannot wait in hope till ‘that which is perfect is come’. As we saw in Article XIX, the Apostolic writers of the New Testament cling to the paradox that the Church both is the Body of Christ and also consists of sinful and fallible members. Articles XII and XIV also emphasize that even man’s best efforts to do good are tainted with imperfection. All the important Protestant Confessions as well as the Roman Church are in substantial agreement with the teaching of the Article, which has also the support of Scripture. In spite of their hypocrisy, Jesus allows that the Scribes and Pharisees are the accredited interpreters of the Law and commands obedience to their teaching.^[2] It is not the preacher or instructor that counts, according to St. Paul, but God’s blessing on the word spoken;^[3] whether Christ is proclaimed out of envy and strife or sincerely and of goodwill, the important thing is that in either case He is proclaimed.^[4] The need of discipline for offending Ministers, referred to in the concluding part of the Article, is obvious. Clearly it is appropriate that God’s ‘Priests should be clothed with righteousness’.^[5] Christian living has always been the Church’s strongest apologetic and appeal; the believer ought to be distinguishable by his conduct. Although the ordinances of Christ when administered by an unworthy Priest do not cease to be channels of grace to the faithful soul, still the Minister’s personal influence for good and his Christlike example go together. The Article therefore stresses that though the grace of God is independent of an evil ministry, yet the Church must exercise discipline to exclude evil Ministers.^[6] It was originally directed against the Anabaptists who refused to come to Holy Communion if they considered the Minister^[7] was living in sin. Scholars differ as to whether the Article was directed also against the Roman Catholic doctrine of Intention,^[8] but it does effectively repudiate that doctrine too. ^[1]Mtt. 13:24-30, 47 ff., 22:10. ^[2]Mtt. 23:2 f. ^[3]1 Cor. 3:5-6. ^[4]Phil. 1:15-18. ^[5]Ps. 132:9. ^[6]1 Tim. 5:20, 22 (R. V.). ^[7]Throughout the Article, and in its title, ‘Minister’ is used as including the three Orders. A Deacon may minister Holy Baptism, and the Celebrant at Holy Communion may be either a Priest or a Bishop (or Archbishop). ^[8]The Council of Trent declared that the validity of the Sacraments depends on the Celebrant having the intention ‘of doing what the Church does.’ But such a doctrine makes the Sacraments depend not only on the moral character of the Minister, but also on his caprice. We could never be sure whether he was ministering a true Sacrament or not.
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