Welchman on Article XXVI: Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacrament

Sometime the Evil have chief, &c.] The Ministers of the Gospel do not administer their own, but Christ’s Sacra- ments; and the Church, in receiving them, hath respect unto Christ himself, and not to Them; and therefore it re- ceives them, not so much from the Ministers, as from Christ himself, through their Hands. The Virtue then and Effica- cy of them, since it depends upon Christ alone, cannot be hindered by a Minister, how wicked soever he may be.

See Mhitgist’s Det. Tra, q. C. 3. Nelor’s Festivals, Ch. 13. and Fasts, Ch. 10. Field of the Church, B. 1. Ch. 14. Bishop Ardrews’s Serm. on John xx. 22.

Not in their own Name] See 1 Cor. iii. 5. Mho then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but Ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to very Man ?

See also St. Aug /?ine, ** A Miniller, that is, a Dispenser & of the Word and Sacraments of the Gospel, if he be a ce good Man, is an Associate with the Gospel z but if he be sa bad Man, he is not therefore no Dispenser of the Gospel, „Peter preached it, as lizewise did other good Men; And © so did Judas, tho’ unwillingly ; and yet being sent toge- & ther with Them, He also preached it: The Dispensation of it was likewise committed to Him, tho’ they only „have a good Reward for dispensing it.”

Me may uje their Minisiry] See Matth. xxiii. 2, 3. The Scribes and Pharisccs fit in Moses’s Scat: All, therefore,

whatsoever

of the Church of EncLAnD,

whatsoever They bid you observe, That observe and de; but do not ye after their Works ; for they say, and do not.

Both in hearing the Word] See Phil. i. 15—18. Same indeed preach Christ even of Envy and Strife ; and some also of Good-will. The one preach Christ of Contenticn, not sin- cerely, suppesing to add Afliction to my Bonds : But the other of Love, knowing that 1 am set for the Defence of the Gospel.

Vhat then? notwith/landing every May, whether in Pretence or in Truth, Christ is preached; and I ds therein rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

Neither is the Ee, &c.] See 1 Cor. iii. 7. Neither is he that planteth, any Thing, or he that watereth : But God that giveth the Increase. |

Appertaineth to the Discipline, &c.) See 1 Tim. v. 19. Againsi an Elder receive not an Accusation, but before two or three Wiinesses. h

Being found guilty, &c.] See 3 John 10. Wherefore if 1 come, I will remember his Deeds which he doth—See also

St, Cyprian. * As to Felicissimus the Deacon, let him know ,

c that he 1s cast out from among us; inasmuch as besides &« his Frauds and Robberies, of which we are very certain <« that he is guilty, he is also charged with Adultery, which c“ some of our Brethren, who are grave men, declare that

<« they have caught him in, and have engaged themsaly&\

« to make good the Charge.“