Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	church_n	power_n	scripture_n	7,777	5	6.2723	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A63706	Clerus Domini, or, A discourse of the divine institution, necessity, sacredness, and separation of the office ministerial together with the nature and manner of its power and operation : written by the special command of King Charles the First / by Jer. Taylor.	Taylor, Jeremy, 1613-1667.; Taylor, Jeremy, 1613-1667. Rules and advices to the clergy of the diocesse of Down and Connor.; Rust, George, d. 1670. Funeral sermon preached at the obsequies of the Right Reverend Father in God Jeremy Lord Bishop of Down.	1672 (1672)	Wing T299; ESTC R13445	91,915	82

Apostolical as it was an office extraordinary circumstantionate definite and to expire all that was promised should descend upon them after Christs ascension and was verified in Pentecost for to that purpose to bring all things to their mind all of Christs Doctrine and all that was necessary of his life and miracles and a power from above to enable them to speak boldly and learnedly and with tongues all that besides the other parts of ordinary power was given them ten days after the Ascension And therefore the breathing the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles in the octaves of the Resurrection and this mission with such a power was their ordinary mission a sending them as ordinary Pastors and Curates of Souls with a power to govern binding and loosing can mean no less and they were the words of the promise with a power to minister reconciliation for so Saint Paul expounds remitting and retaining which two were the great hinges of the Gospel the one to invite and collect a Church the other to govern it the one to dispense the greatest blessing in the world the other to keep them in capacities of enjoying it For since the holy Ghost was now actually given to these purposes here expressed and yet in order to all their extraordinaries and temporary needs was promised to descend after this there is no collection from hence more reasonable than to conclude all this to be part of their commission of ordinary Apostleship to which the ministers of religion were in all Ages to succeed In attestation of all which who please may see the united testimony of S. Cyril S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose S. Gregory and the Author of the questions of the old and new Testament who unless by their calling shall rather be called persons interess'd than by reason of their famous piety and integrity shall be accepted as competent are a very credible and fair representment of this truth and that it was a doctrine of Christianity that Christ gave this power to the Apostles for themselves and their successors for ever and that therefore as Christ in the first donation so also some Churches in the tradition of that power used the same form of words intending the collation of the same power and separating persons for that work of that ministery I end this with the counsel S. Augustine gives to all publick penitents Veniat ad Antistites per quos illis in Ecclesia claves ministrantur à praepositis sacrorum accipiant satisfactionis suae modum let them come to the Presidents of Religion by whom the Keys are ministred and from the Governours of holy things let them receive those injunctions which shall exercise and signifie their repentance SECT III. THe second power I instance in is preaching the Gospel for which work he not only at first designed Apostles but others also were appointed for the same work for ever to all generations of the Church This Commission was signed immediately before Christ's Ascension All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world First Christ declared his own commission all power is given him into his hand he was now made King of all the Creatures and Prince of the Catholick Church and therefore as it concerned his care and providence to look to his cure and flock so he had power to make deputations accordingly Go ye therefore implying that the sending them to this purpose was an issue of his power either because the authorizing certain persons was an act of power or else because the making them Doctors of the Church and teachers of the Nations was a placing them in an eminency above their scholars and converts and so also was an emanation of that power which derived upon Christ from his Father from him descended upon the Apostles And the wiser persons of the world have always understood that a power of teaching was a Presidency and Authority for since all dominion is naturally founded in the understanding although civil government accidentally and by inevitable publick necessity relies upon other titles yet where the greatest understanding and power of teaching is there is a natural preheminence and superiority eatenus that is according to the proportion of the excellency and therefore in the instance of S. Paul we are taught the style of the Court and Disciples sit at the feet of their Masters as he did at the feet of his Tutor Gamaliel which implies duty submission and subordination and indeed it is the highest of any kind not only because it is founded upon nature but because it is a submission of the most imperious faculty we have even of that faculty which when we are removed from our Tutors is submitted to none but God for no man hath power over the understanding faculty and therefore so long as we are under Tutors and Instructors we give to them that duty in the succession of which claim none can succeed but God himself because none else can satisfie the understanding but he Now then because the Apostles were created Doctors of all the world hoc ipso they had power given them over the understandings of their disciples and they were therefore fitted with an infallible spirit and grew to be so authentick that their determination was the last address of all inquiries in questions of Christianity and although they were not absolute Lords of their faith and understandings as their Lord was yet they had under God a supreme care and presidency to order to guide to instruct and to satisfie their understandings and those whom they sent out upon the same errand according to the proportion and excellency of their spirit had also a degree of superiority and eminency and therefore they who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labourers in the word and doctrine were also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters that were Presidents and Rulers of the Church and this eminency is for ever to be retained according as the unskilfulness of the Disciple retains him in the form of Catechumens or as the excellency of the instructor still keeps the distance or else as the office of teaching being orderly and regularly assigned makes a legal political and positive authority to which all those persons are for orders sake to submit who possibly in respect of their personal abilities might be exempt from that authority Upon this ground it is that learning amongst wise persons is esteemed a title of nobility and secular eminency Ego enim quid aliud munificentiae adhibere potui ut studia ut sic dixerim in umbra educata è quibus claritudo venit said Seneca to Nero. And Aristotle and A. Gellius affirm that not only excellency of extraction or great fortunes but learning also makes noble circum undique sedentibus multis doctrinâ aut genere

aut fortunâ nobilibus viris and therefore the Lawyers say that if a legacy be given pauperi nobili the executors if they please may give it to a Doctor I only make this use of it that they who are by publick designation appointed to teach are also appointed in some sence to govern them and if learning it self be a fair title to secular opinion and advantages of honour then they who are professors of learning and appointed to be publick teachers are also set above their disciples as far as the Chair is above the Area or floor that is in that very relation of teachers and scholars and therefore among the Heathen the Priests who were to answer de mysteriis sometimes bore a scepter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon which verse of Homer Eustathius observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The scepter was not only an ensign of a King but of a Judge and of a Prophet it signified a power of answering in judgment and wise sentences This discourse was occasioned by our blessed Saviour's illative All power is given me go ye therefore and teach and it concludes that the authority of Preaching is more than the faculty that it includes power and presidency that therefore a separation of persons is ex abundanti inferred unless order and authority be also casual and that all men also may be Governours as well as Preachers Now that here was a plain separation of some persons for this ministery I shall not need to prove by any other argument besides the words of the Commission save only that this may be added that here was more necessary than a commission great abilities special assistances extraordinary and divine knowledge and understanding the mysteries of the kingdom so that these abilities were separations enough of the persons and designation of the officers But this may possibly become the difficulty of the question For when the Apostles had filled the world with the Sermons of the Gospel and that the holy Ghost descended in a plentiful manner then was the prophesie of Ioel fulfilled old men dreamed dreams and young men saw visions and sons and daughters did prophesie Now the case was altered and the disciples themselves start up Doctors and women prayed and prophesied and Priscilla sate in the Chair with her husband Aquila and Apollos sate at their feet and now all was common again and therefore although the commission went out first to the Apostles yet when by miracle God dispensed great gifts to the Laity and to women he gave probation that he intended that all should prophesie and preach lest those gifts should be to no purpose This must be considered 1. These gifts were miraculous verifications of the great Promise of the Father of sending the holy Ghost and that all persons were capable of that blessing in their several proportions and that Christianity did descend from God were ex abundanti proved by those extraregular dispensations so that here is purpose enough signified although they be not used to infer an indistinction of Officers in this ministery 2. These gifts were given extra-regularly but yet with some difference of persons for all did not prophesie nor all interpret nor all speak with tongues they were but a few that did all this we find but the daughters of one man only and Priscilla among all the nations of the Jews that ever did prophesie of the women and of Lay-men I remember not one but Aquila and Agabus and these will be but too straight an argument to blend a whole Order of men in a popular and vulgar indiscrimination 3. These extraordinary gifts were no authority to those who had them and no other commission to speak in publick And therefore S. Paul forbids the women to speak in the Church and yet it was not denied but some of them might have the spirit of prophesie Speaking in the Church was part of an ordinary power to which not only ability but authority also and commission are required That was clearly one separation women were not capable of a clerical imployment no not so much as of this ministery of preaching And by this we may take speedier account concerning Deaconesses in the Primitive Church de Diaconissâ ego Bartholomaeus dispono O Episcope impones ei manus praesentibus Presbyteris Diaconis Diaconissis dices Respice super hanc famulam tuam so it is in the constitutions Apostolical under the name of S. Clement By which it should seem they were ordained for some Ecclesiastical ministery which is also more credible by those words of Tertullian Quantae igitur quae in Eccles●is ordinari solent quae Deo nubere maluerunt And Sozomen tells of Olympias Hanc enim cum genere esset nobilissimo quamvis juvenculam ex quo vidua facta erat quia ex praescripto Ecclesiae egregiè philosophatur in Ministram Nectarius ordinat and such a one it was whom Saint Basil called impollutam sacerdotem Whatsoever these Deaconesses could be they could not speak in publick unless they did prevaricate the Apostolical rule given to the Corinthian and Ephesian Churches And therefore though Olympias was an excellent person yet she was no preacher she was a Philosopher not in her discourse but in her manner of living and believing Philosophata ex Ecclesiae praescripto and that could not be by preaching but these Deaconesses after the Apostolical age were the same with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good women that did domestick offices and minister to the temporal necessity of the Churches in the days of the Apostles Such a one was Phebe of Cenchrea but they were not admitted to any holy or spiritual Office So we have certain testimony from Antiquity whence the objection comes For so the Nicene Council expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deaconesses are to be reckoned in the Laity because they have no imposition of hands viz. for any spiritual office For they had imposition of hands in some places to temporal administrations about the Church and a solemn benediction but nothing of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Presbyteresses who were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Governesses of women in order to manners and religion but these though as Tertullian affirms and Zonaras and Balsamo confess they were solemnly ordained and set over the women in such offices yet pretended to nothing of the clerical power or the right of speaking in publick So Epiphanius There is an order of deaconesses in the Church but not to meddle or to attempt any of the holy Offices And in this sence it was that S. Ambrose reckons it amongst the Heresies of the Cataphrygians that they ordained their Deaconesses viz. to spiritual ministeries but those women that desire to be medling are not moved with such discourses they care for none of all these things therefore I remit them to the precept

of our blessed Saviour Man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God that is by God's blessing to which prayer is to be joyned that we may cooperate with God in a way most likely to prevail with him and they are excellent words which Cassander hath said to the purpose Some Apostolical Churches from the beginning used such solemn prayers to the celebration of the mysteries and Christ himself beside that he recited the words of Institution he blessed the Symbols before and after sung an Ecclesiastical hymn And therefore the Greek Churches which have with more severity kept the first and most ancient forms of consecration than the Latin Church affirm that the Consecration is made by solemn invocation alone and the very recitation of the words spoken in the body of a prayer are used for argument to move God to hallow the gifts and as an expression and determination of the desire And this Gabriel of Philadelphia observes out of an Apostolical Liturgy The words of our Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 antecedently and by way of institution and incentive are the form together with the words which the Priest afterwards recites according as it is set down in the divine Liturgy It is supposed he means the Liturgy reported to be made by S. Iames which is of the most ancient use in the Greek Church and all Liturgies in the world in their several Canons of communion do now and did for ever mingle solemn prayers together with recitation of Christ's words The Church of England does most religiously observe it according to the custom and sence of the primitive Liturgies who always did believe the consecration not to be a natural effect and change finished in any one instant but a divine alteration consequent to the whole ministery that is the solemn prayer and invocation Now if this great ministery be by way of solemn prayer it will easier be granted that so the other are For absolution and reconciliation of penitents I need say no more but the question of S. Austin Quid est aliud Manûs Impositio quàm oratio super hominem And the Priestly absolution is called by S. Leo Sacerdotum supplicationes The prayers of Priests and in the old Ordo Romanus and in the Pontifical the forms of reconciliation were Deus te absolvat the Lord pardon thee c. But whatsoever the forms were for they may be optative or indicative or declarative the case is not altered as to this question for whatever the act of the Priest be whether it be the act of a Judge or of an Embassador or a Counsellor or a Physician or all this the blessing which he ministers is by way of a solemn prayer according to the exigence of the present Rite and the form of words doth not alter the case for Ego benedico Deus benedicat is the same and was no more when God commanded the Priest in express terms to bless the people only the Church of late chuses the indicative form to signifie that such a person is by authority and proper designation appointed the ordinary minister of benediction For in the sence of the Church and Scripture none can give blessing but a Superior and yet every person may say in charity God bless you He may not be properly said to bless for the greater is not blessed of the lesser by Saint Paul's Rule the Priest may bless or the Father may and yet their benediction save that it signifies the authority and solemn deputation of the person to such an ordinary Ministery signifies but the same thing that is it operates by way of prayer but is therefore prevalent and more effectual because it is by persons appointed by God And so it is in Absolution for he that ministers the pardon being the person that passes the act of God to the penitent and the act of the penitent to God all that manner that the Priest interposes for the penitent to God is by way of prayer and by the mediation of intercession for there is none else in this imaginable and the other of passing God's act upon the penitent is by way of interpretation and enunciation as an Embassador and by the word of his ministery In persona Christi condonavi I pardon in the person of Christ saith S. Paul in the first he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the second he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both a minister of divine benediction to the people the anointing from above descends upon Aaron's beard and so by degrees to the skirts of the people and yet in those things which the Priest or the Prophet does but signifie by divine appointment he is said to do the thing which he only signifies and makes publick as a Minister of God thus God sent Ieremy He set him over the Nations to root out and to pull down and to destroy to throw down and to build and to plant and yet in all this his ministery was nothing but Prophetical and he that converts a sinner is said to save him and to hide a multitude of sins that is he is instrumental to it and ministers in the imployment so that here also Verbum est oratio the word of God and prayer do transact both the parts of this office And I understand though not the degree and excellency yet the truth of this manner of operation in the instance of Isaac blessing Iacob which in the several parts was expressed in all forms indicative optative enunciative and yet there is no question but it was intended to do Iacob benefit by way of impetration so that although the Church may express the acts of her ministery in what form she please and with design to make signification of another Article yet the manner of procuring blessings and graces for the people is by a ministery of interpellation and prayer we having no other way of address or return to God but by Petition and Eucharist 17. I shall not need to instance any more S. Austin summs up all the Ecclesiastical ministeries in an expression fully to this purpose Si ergo ad hoc valet quod dictum est in Evangelio Deis peccatorem non audit aut Per peccatorem sacramenta non celebrentur Quomodo exaudit deprecantem vel super aquam baptismi vel super oleum vel super Eucharistiam vel super capita eorum super quibus manus imponitur with S. Austin praying over the Symbols of every Sacrament and Sacramental is all one with celebrating the mystery And therefore in the office of Consecration in the Greek Church this power passes upon the person ordained That he may be worthy to ask things of thee for the salvation of the people that is to celebrate the Sacraments and Rites and that thou wilt hear him which fully expresses the sence of the present discourse that the first part of that grace of the holy Spirit which consecrates the Priest

exhort and press the people to a devout and periodical Communion at the least three times in the year at the great Festivals but the devouter sort and they who have leisure are to be invited to a frequent Communion and let it be given and received with great reverence Every Minister ought to be well skill'd and studied in saying his Office in the Rubricks the Canons the Articles and the Homilies of the Church that he may do his duty readily discreetly gravely and by the publick measures of the Laws To which also it is very useful that it be added that every Minister study the ancient Canons of the Church especially the Penitentials of the Eastern and Western Churches let him read good Books such as are approved by publick authority such which are useful wise and holy not the scriblings of unlearned parties but of men learned pious obedient and disinterested and amongst these such especially which describe duty and good life which minister to Faith and Charity to Piety and Devotion Cases of Conscience and solid expositions of Scripture Concerning which learned and wise persons are to be consulted Let not a Curate of Souls trouble himself with any studies but such which concern his own or his peoples duty such as may enable him to speak well and to do well but to meddle not with controversies but such by which he may be enabled to convince the gainsayers in things that concern publick peace and a good life Be careful in all the publick administrations of your Parish that the poor be provided for Think it no shame to beg for Christs poor members stir up the people to liberal alms by your word and your example Let a collection be made every Lords-day and upon all solemn meetings and at every Communion and let the Collection be wisely and piously administred ever remembring that at the day of Judgment nothing shall publickly be proclaimed but the reward of alms and mercy Let every Minister be sure to lay up a treasure of comforts and advices to bring forth for every mans need in the day of his trouble let him study and heap together Instruments and Advices for the promoting of every vertue and remedies and arguments against every vice let him teach his people to make acts of vertue not only by external exercise but also in the way of Prayer and internal meditation In these and all things else that concern the Ministers duty if there be difficulty you are to repair to your Bishop for further advice assistance and information FINIS A Funeral Sermon Preached at the OBSEQUIES OF THE Right Reverend Father in God JEREMY Lord Bishop of DOWN Who deceased at LISBURNE August 13 th 1667. BY GEORGE RUST Lord Bishop of DROMORE LONDON Printed for R. Royston Bookseller to the King 's most Excellent Majesty 1672. A Funeral Sermon 1 JOHN 3. 2. It doth not yet appear what we shall be GLorious things are spoken in Scripture concerning the future Reward of the Righteous and all the words that are wont to signifie what is of greatest Price and Value or can represent the most enravishing Objects of our desires are made use of by the Holy Ghost to recommend unto us this transcendent State of Blessedness Such are these Rivers of Pleasures A fountain of living water A treasure that can never be wasted nor never taken from us An inheritance in light An incorruptible Crown A Kingdom the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Christ The Kingdom of Glory a Crown of Glory and Life and Righteousness and Immortality The Vision of God Being fill'd with all the fulness of God An exceeding eternal weight of Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words strangely Emphatical that can't be put into English and if they could they would not be able to convey to our minds the Notion that they design for it is too big for any Expressions and after all that can be said we must resolve with our Apostle It does not yet appear what we shall be At this Distance we cannot make any likely guesses or conjectures at the glory of that future state Men make very imperfect Descriptions of Countries or Cities that never were there themselves nor saw the Places with their own eyes It is not for any mortal Creature to make a Map of that Canaan that lies above It is to all us that live here on the hither-side of Death an unknown Countrey and an undiscover'd Land It may be some Heavenly Pilgrim that with his holy thoughts and ardent desires is continually travelling thitherward arrives sometimes near the Borders of the promis'd Land and the Suburbs of the new Ierusalem and gets upon the top of Pisgah and there he has an imperfect Prospect of a brave Countrey that lies afar way off but he can't tell how to describe it and all that he hath to say to satisfie the curious Enquirer is only this If he would know the glories of it he must go and see it It was believ'd of old that those places that lie under the Line were burnt up by the continual heat of the Sun and were not habitable either by man or beast But later Discoveries tell us that there are the most pleasant Countries that the Earth can shew insomuch that some have plac'd Paradise it self in that Climate Sure I am of all the Regions of the Intellectual World and the several Lands that are peopled either with Men or Angels the most pleasant Countries they lie under the Line under the direct beams of the Sun of Righteousness where there is an eternal Day and an eternal Spring where is that Tree of Life that beareth twelve manner of Fruits and yieldeth her Fruit every Month Thus we may use Figures and Metaphors and Allegories and tell you of fruitful Meads and spacious Fields and winding Rivers and purling Brooks and chanting Birds and shady Groves and pleasant Gardens and lovely Bowers and noble Seats and stately Palaces and goodly People and excellent Laws and sweet Societies but this is but to frame little comparisons to please our childish fancies and just such discourses as a blind man would make concerning Colours so do we talk of those things we never saw and disparage the state whilst we would recommend it Indeed it requires some Saint or Angel from Heaven to discourse upon the Subject and yet that would not do neither For though they might be able to speak something of it yet we should want ears to hear it Neither can those things be declar'd but in the language of Heaven which would be little understood by us the poor inhabitants of this lower World they are indeed things too great to be brought within the compass of words Saint Paul when he had been rapt up into the third Heaven he saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things unlawful or unpossible to be utter'd and Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them

at least an argument she intended to leave the question undetermined if at least that omission of the clause was not also a rejection of the Article Only this Epiphanius objects against the Marcionites and Tertullian against the Gnosticks that they did permit women to baptize I cannot say but they made it an ordinary imployment and a thing besides the case of necessity I know not whether they did or no. But if they be permitted it is considerable whither the example may drive Petulans mulier quae usurpavit docere an non utique tingendi jus sibi pariet that I may turn Tertullians Thesis into an Interrogative The women usurp the office of teaching if also they may be permitted to baptize they may in time arrogate and invade other ministeries or if they do not by reason of the natural and political incapacity of their persons yet others may upon the same stock for necessity consists not in a Mathematical point but hath latitude which may be expounded to inconvenience and that I say truth and fear reasonably I need no other testimony than the Greek Church for amongst them a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the absence of the Priest is necessity enough for a woman to baptize for so sayes Gabriel Philadelphiensis In the absence of a Priest a Christian Laick may baptize whether it be man or woman either may do it and whether that be not only of danger in the sequel but in it self a very dissolution of all discipline I leave it to the Church of England to determine as for her own particular that at least the Sacrament be left intirely to Clerical dispensation according to divine commandment Onething I offer to consideration that since the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven be most notoriously and signally used in Baptism in which the Kingdom of Heaven the Gospel and all its promises is opened to all Believers and though as certainly yet less principally in reconciling penitents and admitting them to the communion of the faithful it may be of ill consequence to let them be usurped by hands to whom they were not consigned Certain it is S. Peter used his Keyes and opened the Kingdom of Heaven first when he said Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost However as to the main question we have not only the universal Doctrine of Christendom but also express authority and commission in Scripture sending out Apostles and Apostolical men persons of choice and special designation to baptize all Nations and to entertain them into the services and institution of the holy Jesus SECT V. I Shall instance but once more but it is in the most solemn sacred and divinest mystery in our Religion that in which the Clergy in their appointed ministery do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stand between God and the people and do fulfil a special and incomprehensible ministery which the Angels themselves do look into with admiration to which the people if they come without fear cannot come without sin and this of so sacred and reserved mysteriousness that but few have dared to offer at with unconsecrated hands some have But the Eucharist is the fulness of all the mysteriousness of our Religion and the Clergy when they officiate here are most truly in the phrase of Saint Paul Dispensatores mysteriorum Dei dispensers of the great mysteries of the Kingdom For to use the words of Saint Cyprian Iesus Christ is our high Priest and himself become our Sacrifice which he finished upon the Cross in a real performance and now in his office of Mediatorship makes intercession for us by a perpetual exhibition of himself of his own person in Heaven which is a continual actually represented argument to move God to mercy to all that believe in and obey the Holy Iesus Now Christ did also establish a number of select persons to be Ministers of this great Sacrifice finished upon the Cross that they also should exhibit and represent to God in the manner which their Lord appointed them this Sacrifice commemorating the action and suffering of the great Priest and by way of prayers and impetration offering up that action in behalf of the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gregory Nazianzen expresses it sending up Sacrifices to be laid upon the Altar in Heaven that the Church might be truly united unto Christ their Head and in the way of their ministery may do what he does in Heaven for he exhibits the sacrifice that is himself actually and presentially in Heaven the Priest on earth commemorates the same and by his prayers represents it to God in behalf of the whole Catholick Church presentially too by another and more mysterious way of presence but both Christ in Heaven and his Ministers on Earth do actuate that Sacrifice and apply it to its purposed design by praying to God in the vertue and merit of that Sacrifice Christ himself in a high and glorious manner the Ministers of his Priesthood as it becomes Ministers humbly sacramentally and according to the energy of humane advocation and intercession This is the sum and great mysteriousness of Christianity and is now to be proved This is expresly described in Scripture that part concerning Christ is the Doctrine of S. Paul who disputes largely concerning Christ's Priesthood affirming that Christ is a Priest for ever he hath therefore an unchangeable Priesthood because he continueth for ever and he lives for ever to make intercession for us this he does as Priest and therefore it must be by offering a Sacrifice for every high Priest is ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices and therefore it is necessary he also have something to offer as long as he is a Priest that is for ever till the consummation of all things since therefore he hath nothing new to offer and something he must continually offer it is evident he offers himself as the medium of advocation and the instance and argument of a prevailing intercession and this he calls a more excellent Ministery and by it Iesus is a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle that is He as our high Priest officiates in Heaven in the great office of a Mediator in the merit and power of his Death and Resurrection Now what Christ does alwayes in a proper and most glorious manner the Ministers of the Gospel also do in theirs commemorating the Sacrifice upon the Cross giving thanks and celebrating a perpetual Eucharist for it and by declaring the death of Christ and praying to God in the vertue of it for all the Members of the Church and all persons capable it is in genere orationis a Sacrifice and an instrument of propitiation as all holy prayers are in their several proportions And this was by a precept of Christ Hoc facite Do this in remembrance of me Now this

not own never suppose him to be author of sin or the procurer of our damnation For God cannot be tempted neither tempteth he any man God is true and every man a lyar Let no Preacher compare one Ordinance with another as Prayer with Preaching to the disparagement of either but use both in their proper seasons and according to appointed Order Let no man preach for the praise of men but if you meet it instantly watch and stand upon your guard and pray against your own vanity and by an express act of acknowledgment and adoration return the praise to God Remember that Herod was for the omission of this smitten by an Angel and do thou tremble fearing lest the judgment of God be otherwise than the sentence of the people V. Rules and Advices concerning Catechism EVery Minister is bound upon every Lords day before Evening Prayer to instruct all young people in the Creed the Lords Prayer the Ten Commandments and the Doctrine of the Sacraments as they are set down and explicated in the Church Catechism Let a Bell be tolled when the Catechising is to begin that all who desire it may be present but let all the more ignorant and uninstructed part of the people whether they be old or young be requir'd to be present that no person in your Parishes be ignorant in the foundations of Religion Ever remembring that if in these things they be unskilful whatever is taught besides is like a house built upon the sand Let every Minister teach his people the use practice methods and benefits of meditation or mental prayer Let them draw out for them helps and rules for their assistance in it and furnish them with materials concerning the life and death of the ever blessed Jesus the greatness of God our own meanness the dreadful sound of the last Trumpet the infinite event of the two last sentences at doomsday let them be taught to consider what they have been what they are and what they shall be and above all things what are the issues of eternity glories never to cease pains never to be ended Let every Minister exhort his people to a frequent confession of their sins and a declaration of the state of their Souls to a conversation with their Minister in spiritual things to an enquiry concerning all the parts of their duty for by preaching and catechising and private entercourse all the needs of Souls can best be serv'd but by preaching alone they cannot Let the people be exhorted to keep Fasting days and the Feasts of the Church according to their respective capacities so it be done without burden to them and without becoming a snare that is that upon the account of Religion and holy desires to please God they spend some time in Religion besides the Lords-day but be very careful that the Lords-day be kept religiously according to the severest measures of the Church and the commands of Authority ever remembring that as they give but little Testimony of Repentance and Mortification who never fast so they give but small evidence of their joy in God and Religion who are unwilling solemnly to partake of the publick and Religious Joys of the Christian Church Let every Minister be diligent in exhorting all Parents and Masters to send their Children and Servants to the Bishop at the Visitation or other solemn times of his coming to them that they may be confirm'd And let him also take care that all young persons may by understanding the Principles of Religion their vow of Baptism the excellency of Christian Religion the necessity and advantages of it and of living according to it be fitted and disposed and accordingly by them presented to the Bishop that he may pray over them and invocate the holy Spirit and minister the holy Rite of Confirmation VI. Rules Advices concerning the Visitation of the Sick EVery Minister ought to be careful in visiting all the Sick and Afflicted persons of his Parish ever remembring that as the Priests lips are to preserve knowledge so it is his duty to minister a word of comfort in the time of need A Minister must not stay till he be sent for but of his own accord and care to go to them to examine them to exhort them to perfect their repentance to strengthen their faith to encourage their patience to perswade them to resignation to the renewing of their holy vows to the love of God to be reconcil'd to their neighbours to make restitution and amends to confess their sins to settle their estate to provide for their charges to do acts of piety and charity and above all things that they take care they do not sin towards the end of their lives For if repentance on our death-bed seem so very late for the sins of our life what time shall be left to repent us of the sins we commit on our death-bed When you comfort the afflicted endeavour to bring them to the true love of God for he that serves God for Gods sake it is almost impossible he should be oppressed with sorrow In answering the cases of conscience of the sick or afflicted people consider not who asks but what he asks and consult in your answers more with the estate of his soul than the conveniency of his estate for no flattery is so fatal as that of the Physician or the Divine If the sick person enquires concerning the final estate of his soul he is to be reprov'd rather than answer'd only he is to be called upon to finish his duty to do all the good he can in that season to pray for pardon and acceptance but you have nothing to do to meddle with passing final sentences neither cast him down in despair nor raise him up to vain and unreasonable confidences But take care that he be not carelesly dismiss'd In order to these and many other good purposes every Minister ought frequently to converse with his Parishioners to go to their houses but always publickly with witness and with prudence lest what is charitably intended be scandalously reported and in all your conversation be sure to give good example and upon all occasions to give good counsel VII Of ministring the Sacraments publick Prayers and other duties of Ministers EVery Minister is oblig'd publickly or privately to read the Common Prayers every day in the week at Morning and Evening and in great Towns and populous places conveniently inhabited it must be read in Churches that the daily sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving may never cease The Minister is to instruct the people that the Baptism of their children ought not to be ordinarily deferr'd longer than till the next Sunday after the birth of the child lest importune and unnecessary delay occasion that the child die before it is dedicated to the service of God and the Religion of the Lord Jesus before it be born again admitted to the Promises of the Gospel and reckon'd in the account of the second Adam Let every Minister