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FOUNDATIONS*69**Augustine* for* doing* so. 12 *They* are* gospel* sacraments* in* that* they* rehearse*and*communicate*the*heart*of*the*good*news,*the*death*and*resurrection*of*Christ,*and*the*need*for*faith*in*him.*The*modern*trend*(observable*in*some*cathedrals* especially)* to* refer* again* to* ordination* or* confirmation* as* sac:raments*ought*therefore*to*be*resisted. 13 *The*final*part*of*the*Article*declares*the*true*use#of*a*sacrament:**The*Sacraments*were*not*ordained*of*Christ*to*be*gazed*upon,*or*to*be*carried*about,*but*that*we*should*duly*use*them.*And*in*such*only*as*worthily*receive*the*same,*they*have*a*wholesome*effect*or*operation:*but*they*that*receive*them*unworthily,*purchase*to*themselves*damnation,*as*Saint*Paul*saith.**!This* at* first* appears* to* be* more* narrowly* about* the* Lord’s* Supper.* It*mentions*the*Roman*abuses*of*the*elements*of*bread*and*wine*in*the*Supper,*which* were* processed* around* and* exposed* in* a* monstrance* (a* fancifully*designed*vessel,*often*in*a*circular*or*sunburst*shape,*used*to*display*relics*or* consecrated* elements)* for* the* adoration* of* the* faithful.* So:called* “holy*water”*from*a*baptismal*font*might*also*be*carried*about,*however,*and*used*for* blessing* things* or* in* making* the* sign* of* the* cross* on* one’s* forehead* at*various*times.*The*Article*rejects*all*these*as*wrong*uses*of*the*sacraments,*which* are* instead* to* be* “duly* used”,* that* is,* used* according* to* Christ’s*institution:* water* for* baptising;* bread* and* wine* for* consuming.* As* the*influential* German* reformer* Martin* Bucer* (1491:1551)* wrote* to* Cranmer,*concerning*the*superstitious*practice*of*blessing*and*consecrating*inanimate*objects,*“Our*sacraments*exist*in*use,*they*are*actions”;*apart*from*this*use*they*are*merely*bread,*wine,*and*water. 14 *Finally,*the*last*sentence*of*the*Article*affirms*that*both*sacraments*have*a*“wholesome*effect*or*operation”.*Again,*they*are*not*merely*empty*signs.*However,*they*operate*in*a*wholesome*and*positive*way*only*in*those*who************************************************************************************************************************************************************helpful* parallel* there* between* baptism* and* marriage.* The* Homilies* were* official* Anglican*sermons,*mentioned*in*the*Thirty:nine*Articles#and*intended*to*be*used*by*ministers*who*were*unable*or*unlicensed*to*write*their*own*sermons.*12*In* the* Homily* of* Common* Prayer* and* Sacraments,* Augustine’s* teaching* regarding* two*sacraments* is* cited,* from* his* letter* to* Januarius* and* the* third* book* of* his* work* on* Christian*Doctrine.*13*See* however* the* opinion* of* E.* J.* Bicknell,* A# Theological# Introduction# to# the# ThirtyDnine#Articles#of#the#Church#of#England*(London:*Longmans,*Green,*and*Co,*1935),*452*who*thinks*the*Article* does* not* deny* the* name* sacrament* to* these* things,* only* an* equality* of* status* with*baptism* and* the* Supper.* The* Article* does* say,* however,* that* they* are* not* to* be* counted* as*sacraments* of* the* gospel* and* since* they* are* not* sacraments* of* the* old* covenant* either,* they*cannot*properly*be*called*sacraments*at*all.*14*“Sacramenta* nostra* sunt* in* usu,* actiones* sunt...* Extra* hunc* usum...* quod* Dominus* esse*decrevit*omnem*panem,*vinum,*aquam.”*See*Bucer’s*Censura#in*E.*C.*Whitaker,*Martin#Bucer#and#the#Book#of#Common#Prayer*(Great*Wakering:*Mayhew:McCrimmon,*1974),*99.*!