these Seven who were all qualified as the Apostles required First Steven (s) Qui vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Menol. Anthol Graec. the chief and most eminent among them a Man full of Faith and zeal and inspired with extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost above the rest who all had such degrees of these gifts and graces as fitted them for this Office and therefore they elected Philip (t) Vide Act. viii 5 26 cap. xxi 8. and Procorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas (u) Vid. Apoc. ii 7. Ab eo orti sunt Nicolaitae Epiphan haer 25. Hieron ep 48. At ipsum inculpaâ—um asserunt Clem. Alex. Strom. 3. Euseb l. 3. c. 23. Theod. haeret Fab. l. 3. who was of Gentile Extraction a Proselyte converted first to the Jewish Religion and formerly of Antioch all which had deserved a good testimony and were then well known in the Apostolical College and divers of them afterward proved eminent in the Church Ver. vi These Seven are the Men whom they of the Synod elected and set before the Apostles who as Supream Rulers of the Church had the sole power of delegating a right to any that were to officiate therein And since the Office of Deacons was sacred necessary and to continue in the Church they solemnly admitted them in such manner as all others afterwards were to be admitted therefore when they had prayed earnestly to God for them they laid their hands upon them as the Jews were wont to do in their solemn Designations of any to Offices of Dignity and trust (w) Numb xxvii 18. and from this Precedent set by the Apostles here and afterwards all Ordinations in the Christian Church were made by Prayer and Imposition of Hands (x) Ordinatio Clericorum non solum ad imprecationem vocis sed ad impositionem impletur manus Hieron in Isai 58. Tom. 4. p. 421. And these two have been ever since accounted so necessary that no regular Ordination could be without them Ver. vii And God who directed the setting up this New Order gave it a good effect the Apostles having more leisure to make Converts and being sometimes assisted by the Deacons in these higher Ministries divers became Christians And the word of God was preached so frequently that the knowledge thereof encreased and the number of the Disciples by the accession of new Converts multiplied in that Church of Ierusalem greatly notwithstanding the malice and menaces of the Jewish Rulers So that abundance of the common people and a great company of the Priests (y) Male Beza dubitat de hoc loco cum omnes MSS. Graec. ita legunt themselves not only professed but were obedient to the Faith of Christ believing the Principles and practising the Duties of Christianity §. 9. Of the Oath of Supremacy Though the Form of this Oath in our Nation be no older than the dawning of our Reformation under King Henry 8. (z) Sub Henrico 8. primo introductum est juramentum primatûs Reg. Jacobi Apol. log p. 53. yet the thing is as old as Scripture History for the right of Kings which this Oath declares is set forth in God's Word where David and Solomon Hezekiah and Jehosaphat (a) 1 Chron. xxviii 21. 1 King ii 27. 2 Chron. viii 14 15. chap. xx 21. as Supream in the Ecclesiastical as well as in Civil Affairs made Laws in matters of Religion and the Priests as well as the People were subject unto them As to the putting it into the Ordination Office we will shew 1st The reasonableness thereof in general 2ly The particular reasons for giving it to the Clergy 3ly The occasion of introducing it here 1st That it is reasonable in general will appear from the consent of all mankind the modern Papists excepted that Kings are Supream in all sorts of Causes the Jews thought so as was shewed before and so did the Gentiles as the great Philosopher sufficiently declares in saying the King is Lord of all things that relate to the Gods (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Pol. l. 3. of which opinion also was a good old Pope who did not foresee the unjust claim of his Successors but owned that God had given the Emperor dominion over all Priests as well as Soldiers (c) Deus qui ei omnia tribuit dominari eum non solum Militibus sed etiam Sacerdotibus concessit Greg. l. 2. ep 64. a Doctrine taught long before by St. Chrysostom who says the Emperor was the Supream and Head of all things upon Earth (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Orat. de Stat. 2. p. 463. To which agree all those Titles that the Clergy gave Christian Princes or they claimed as their due Pope Eleutherius calls Lucius King of Britain The Vicar of God in his Kingdom (e) Epist Eleuther ad Luc. Spelm. Tom. 1. p. 34. King Edgar is called The Vicar of Christ in the Laws promulgated in his time (f) Leg. Hydens ibid. p. 438. and he stiles himself Pastor of the Pastors (g) Charta ejus apud Seld. notis in Eadmer p. 146. and in much later times before the Pope pretended to give the Kings of England this Title for defending the Roman Errors our Princes claimed it as a right inherent in their Crown to be the Defenders of the Faith (h) Fidei defensores sumus esse volumus Brev. Ric. 2. Reg. Eliens fol. 1384. and 't is very remarkable that the General Councils of Constantinople and Chalcedon used that very same stile as of right belonging to the Emperors Theodosius and Marcian (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Constant Bin. Tom. 2. Par. 1. p. 89. ita Concil Chalced. Act. 6. Bin. ibid. p. 269. and Leo Magnus Bishop of Rome calls the latter of these the Defender or Preserver of the Faith (k) Custos Fidei Leo M. ep 71. ad Anastas p. 415. Agreeably to which Pope Anastasius calls the Emperor of the same Name God's Vicar appointed in his stead to preside in the Earth (l) Epist Anastas Pap. ad Imperator Anastas Bin. ut supr p. 507. The like Titles were given by the Bishops in Councils to the Western Emperors for Charlemaign is stiled Ruler of the true Religion and Governor of God's holy Church (m) Concil Mogunt An. 813. in Praef. Bin. T. 3. Par. 1. §. 2. p. 196. his Son Lewis is also called The strenuous Ruler of the true Religion (n) Vid. ibid. An. 847. p. 372. But if any should object these are only Complements and do not prove that Princes were really Supream in all Causes I shall observe that they really exercised this Supream Authority for the Codes and Novels of Justinian Theodosius and other Emperors in the East the Capitulars of Charles the Great and his Successors in the West the Laws of our Saxon Danish and first Norman Kings abound with Statutes and Edicts concerning
A DISCOURSE UPON THE FORM and MANNER OF Making Ordaining and Consecrating BISHOPS PRIESTS and DEACONS According to the ORDER OF THE Church of ENGLAND By THOMAS COMBER D. D. Dean of Durham and Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY LONDON Printed by Samuel Roycroft for Robert Clavell at the Peacock in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1699. TO THE Most Reverend Father in GOD THOMAS Lord Arch-Bishop of CANTERBURY Primate of all ENGLAND And Metropolitan c. May it please your Grace BY the divine Mercy and assistance I have now finished my illustration of our Publick Offices which end with these Forms of Ordination By shewing how agreeable these as well as the rest are to Scripture to pure Antiquity and to the design of this important Duty I have also compared this with the Ordinals of other Churches Ancient and Modern and hope all impartial Judges will own that ours receives great advantage by the comparison But my principal care hath been to help the Candidates for Holy Orders not only to understand but consider the whole compass of their Duty and to persuade them to perform it strictly and exactly Being well assured that nothing will more effectually conduce to the Glory of God the Honour and Establishment of this Church to the growth of saving Knowledge and Piety and the suppression of Heresie Schism and Vice than a learned and devout an exemplary and industrious Clergy And certainly 't is great pity we should not have the best of Men to officiate since we are blest with the most excellent Forms for all Divine Administrations 'T is not possible more care should be taken of this than is here as far as Rules and Offices can go But 't is your Grace and the College of Bishops must give life to the Churches Orders and to my Endeavours Your Grace hath a Right to these Papers because you are the chief Governor in Ordinations under whose Hands most of the Right Reverend the Bishops receive their Character with power to admit others to the inferior Orders Wherefore from your Graces known zeal and exemplary care we cannot but expect such measures shall every where be taken in this Affair that none shall be received into this Holy Function but such as are like to be a lasting Honour to it Our Adversaries on both Hands seem now to despair of their baffled objections against our Forms but fail not to enlarge on the popular Theme of personal reflections upon some defaulters so that if those that are already Ordained and yet offend were reformed and the unqualified kept out for the future our Enemies ill will would want matter to work on and our Sion would be the Joy of the whole Christian World If both Clergy and People could be brought up to an adequate conformity to our incomparable Rules it would immediately be apparent what all these Discourses are intended to prove that there is nothing material to be reformed in our Constitution (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot Polit. Cavendum ne si graviora inferremus vulnera dum minoribus mederi desideramus Ambr. de offic l. 2. c. 2. And therefore the one thing necessary in our Church whatever some would suggest to the contrary is to live up to our Engagements and to let care be had that our Lives be answerable to our most Holy Profession and our Practices agreeable to our Vows Which I am confident will be sincerely endeavoured by your Grace and that Heaven may prosper you and all our Governors in so just so pious and so laudable a design shall ever be the subject of his Prayers who desires on this and all occasions to approve himself My Lord Your Graces most humble and faithful Servant THO. COMBER Durham Octob. 8th 1699. ERRATA PAg. 19. Marg. at l. 31. r. R.R. expon de p. 22. l. 12. r. Druidten p. 65 l. 22. dele as p. 73. l. 10. r. a truer p. 90. l. 23. r. The person p. 93. l. 17. r. their hair p. 100. r. reverend l. 13. and p. p. Marg. r. praesident p. 104. l. 1. r. desiring them p. 117. l. 8. r. other Synods p. 133. Marg. at l. 21. r. Doctrinae p. 174. l. 11. r. Mission p. 181. l. 7. r. usage that is p. 227. Marg at l. 28. add after lectitabor Hieron p. 231. Title r. consequents p. 229. Marg. at l. 11. r. manu recenti p. 259. after the Title l. 3. r. it is a. p. 280. l. 19. r. he calleth p. 282. l. 11. r. out and coming p. 325. l. 25. r. this salutary p. 330. l. 33. r. Discipline p. 365. l. 32. r. as they ought p. 443. l. 1. r. in his name l 4. r. in my name Marg. l. 5. r. mittentis A DISCOURSE ON THE OFFICES OF ORDINATION CHAP. I. Of the Preface §. 1. IT hath been the constant use of this Church to take care pursuant to St. Paul's Rule (a) 1 Cor. XIV 26. that all her Offices may be done to Edification Which evidently appears here in premising this seasonable and instructing Preface concerning the Kinds and dignity of Holy Orders the solemn manner of being admitted to them and the Qualification of such as are to enter into any of them especially the first being the Gate to all the rest which is so proper an Introduction that we shall after our usual method first set out its several parts and then explain the whole The Analysis of the Preface This Preface shews concerning Holy Orders and Ordination these two Particulars 1st The Opinion and practice of all other regular Churches concerning 1. The distinction of the three Orders It is evident to all men diligently reading Holy Scripture and ancient Authors c. 2. The honour and respect paid to them all Which Offices were evermore had in such reverent estimation 3. The solemn manner of being admitted to them That no man might presume to execute any of the same except he were first called c. 2ly What is required by this Church in that case and therein 1. A general reason is premised And therefore that these orders may be continued and reverently c. 2ly Particular Rules laid down as to 1. All three Orders in respect of the 1. Examination No man shall be accounted or taken to be a lawful c. 2. Solemn Admission And admitted thereunto according to the Form c. 3. Ages of the Persons And none shall be admitted a Deacon except he be c. 2. That of a Deacon concerning 1. His Qualifications And the Bishop knowing either by himself or c. 2. His Admission May at the time appointed in the Canon c. §. 2. It is evident to all men diligently reading Holy Scripture and ancient Authors that from the Apostles time c. Being about to prescribe the several Forms for ordaining Deacons Priests and Bishops we studiously avoid the odious charge of Innovation and therefore appeal to Scripture and Antiquity as our Evidence that these three Orders have been in the Church
from the Apostles time Whereby we make a distinction between these three truly Sacred Orders which were instituted by Christ and his Apostles and alone are retained by our Reformers as necessary for all Ages and those inferior Orders of Subdeacons Acolyths Exorcists Readers c. invented by men in later times and therefore laid aside in this Reformed Church 'T is true these were names of Offices used in some places very early but those who had these Titles had no solemn Ordination at first and were looked on rather as Candidates for than Persons in Holy Orders And therefore Alphonsus a Castro (b) Alf. a Castro adv haeres l. xi tit Ordo with very many other eminent Doctors of the Roman Church cited by the learned Chamier allow not these lesser Orders to be Sacraments nor truly Sacred as not being instituted by Christ (c) Cham. Panstrat l. iv c. 22. p. 212. But as to these three greater Orders our Preface modestly dates their use from the Apostles time for it might have been carried much higher since it is also evident that in the Jewish Oeconomy the first Church setled by a written Divine Law above 3000 years ago three Orders were appointed the High-Priest the Priests and the Levites answering to our Bishops Presbyters and Deacons and being the very Pattern to the Apostles in the institution of these three Christian Orders as divers of the Fathers have observed (d) Et ut sciamus Traditiones Apostolicas sumptas de Veteri Testamento Quod Aaron filii ejus atque Levitae in Templo fuerunt hoc sibi Episcopi Presbyteri atque Diaconi vendicent in Ecclesia Hieron ad Euagr. Ep. 85. T. 2. p. 511. Vide item Clem. Epist ad Corinth pag. 92. I may also add that our Saviour who loved not unnecessary alteration kept as nigh to this Form in his own time as the circumstances would bear for he sustained the place of High-Priest and Bishop by both which names he is called (e) Heb. iv 14. 1 Pet. ii 25. being the supream Ruler of his Church and under him the Apostles were then only as Priests having below them the LXX Disciples like to the Levites and Deacons (f) Luc. x. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in loc Out of whom after the Apostles succeeded their Master in the Government of the Church many were chosen into higher Orders and seven of them were fixed as Deacons in Jerusalem the Mother of all Churches (g) Vid. Chron. Alexand Bibl. Patr. T. 12. p. 60. Epiph. Panar T. 1. haer 20. After our Lord's ascension also Scripture mentions the like number of stated Orders First The Apostles who then held the place of Bishops though they could not be fixed to any one City Secondly The Evangelists who were sent to plant or to water newly converted Churches and these represented the Presbyters to which we may add the Deacons ordained not only in Judea but also among the Gentile Proselytes (h) Phil. i. 1. 1 Tim. iii. 8. as appears from the Title of some Epistles and the Rules given to Timothy about them The only Objection as to the Scripture-Period is about the seemingly promiscuous use of the words Bishop and Presbyter or Elder For which Objection it suffices to note 1st That in those Churches where any of the Apostles lived or commonly resided as Jerusalem and Corinth there St. James and St. Paul for a while kept the Government in their own hands and so long there was no occasion for any more than two Orders under the Apostles in those places viz. Presbyters and Deacons 2ly That in those Cities where few were converted there was no occasion for Presbyters at first and it seems reasonable to think there were no more fixed there than a Bishop and his Deacons which some make to be the case at Philippi that Epistle being directed only to the Bishops and Deacons though others will have Bishops there to signify Presbyters and think Epaphroditus his Title left out in the direction because he carried the Epistle (i) Cum Presbyteris Diaconis Syriac vers Ita Theoph. in loc and they observe St. Polycarp only mentions two Orders at Philippi Presbyters and Deacons (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Philip. p. 18. but for their argument from the plural number Bishops it is sufficiently answered by observing Philippi was a Metropolis and had many Cities under it in that Province and so had many Bishops However we do not deny that in some Churches before a due settlement could be made there might be but two Orders besides the Apostles who as St. Clement says Preaching in Countries and Cities ordained the First-fruits of them proving them by the Spirit Bishops and Deacons of such as should believe (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Corinth p. 96. But Epiphanius against Aerius the heretical Founder of the Presbyterian party gives a convincing reason for this viz. because while the Preaching was new all things could not be setled by the Apostles at once and where none were found worthy to be Priests they were content only with a Bishop who could not be without his Deacons for ministrations but the Church was not yet compleated in its Offices since nothing is perfect at first but in process of time all that it s needs required was fixed (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paulo post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph. Panar contr Aer lib. 3. T. 1. haer 75. Whence we may infer that in perfect Churches there were then three Orders and I hope our Adversaries will not offer imperfect ones for our imitation especially since it is clear even in the Apostles days that they then being in the place of Bishops had power over Deacons and gave a mission to Presbyters (n) Act. vi 6. and xv 22. That Evangelists could not confirm the converted Samaritans without the Apostles (o) Act. viii 14 15 16 17. That the Bishops constituted by them were to charge the Pastors not to preach any strange Doctrine (p) 1 Tim. i. 3. and to see laborious Preachers well rewarded (q) 1 Tim. v. 17. to censure offending Elders (r) 1 Tim. v. 1. yea to examine and approve of Deacons (s) 1 Tim. iii. 8. and to admit both these by Imposition of Hands (t) Chap. v. 22. which place the Fathers generally explain of Ordination (u) Vid. Theoph. in loc Bern. de consid lib. 4. c. 4. p. 887. And the like superiority Titus had in Creet (w) Tit. i. 5. and Chap. iii. 10. From all which it appears there was an Order of Bishops above the Presbyters who must have jurisdiction over them or else they could not reprove and censure them as Epiphanius notes (x) Epiphan ut supra haer 75. contr Aer who also had then the only Power of Ordaining both the Presbyters and the Deacons and of confirming baptized
sought this high Dignity And the Emperors afterwards from Augustus his time not daring to trust so large an Authority in any other hand always were solemnly admitted High-Priests till Gratian's time (t) Sueton. vit August c. 31. p. 167. not Causab ibid. item Al. ab Alex. gen dier l. 2. c. 8. who refused it out of Conscience as a Pagan Office By all which it is most apparent that all Nations who owned any God or had any sort of Religion unanimously agreed to use his Priests and immediate Servants with all possible honour and respect But since the Preface speaks only of the Ministers of the Christian Church it is more to our purpose to enquire what esteem is due to them and what honours have been conferred on them and doubtless as their Office is more excellent and their Administrations more sublime than those of any other Religion so their dignity is not and their esteem should not be less Wherefore we will enquire what light we have from Scripture and what evidence from Antiquity in this matter When our Lord sent forth his newly ordained Apostles to preach he declares that such as despised them despised both him and his heavenly Father and that he would take all the respect and favour shewed to them as if it were to himself (u) Matt. x. 40 41. Luc. x. 16. Piissimus Dominus communem sibi cum servis suis honorem simul contumeliam facit Salv. de gub l. 8. and St Paul strictly charges that none presume to despise his lately constituted Bishops (w) 1 Tim. iv 12. Titus ii 15. and Orders that the Presbyters who were diligent in preaching should have double honour (x) 1 Tim. v. 17. he enjoyns the People over whom they are set to esteem them very highly in love for their work sake (y) 1 Thess v. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when he sent Epaphroditus the Bishop of Philippi to his See he commands the Christians to have a great honour for him and such as he was (z) Philip. ii 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there is an high Authority lodged in the Episcopal Order who are not only to teach but to command (a) 1 Tim. iv 11. and rebuke with all Authority (b) Titus ii 15. And the People were not only to obey their commands but to submit also to their punishments (c) Hebr. xiii 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in loc Which clear places of Holy Writ do confer on them a power to Govern and a right to be Honoured by their Flock Hence the Apostles though very humble did not even in their persecuted estate refuse all expressions of honour for Cornelius fell down at St. Peter's feet so did the Jaylor before Paul and Silas and the Governor of Melita honoured St. Paul with many honours (d) Acts x. 25. xvi 29. xxviii 10. But besides these precepts and practices the very Names and Titles given to those in these Sacred Orders in the Scripture do imply that the Holy Ghost designed them to a very Honourable Employment The name Apostle imports a Messenger sent with Authority to act in his Masters name and therefore the Emperor's Praefects are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) 1 Pet. ii 14. and the Judges in France of old were stiled Missi Dominici (f) Capitular reg Franc. Tom. 1. p. 198. alibi Yea the Chief Officer under the Jewish Patriarch was called his Apostle (g) Cod. Theod. tit de Judaeis l. 16. Tit. 8. LL. 14. and 't is plain our Lord intended his Apostles should have Chief Authority in his Church because he promised them twelve Thrones and power to judge all Christians that is the true Israelites (h) Matt. xix 28. Their Successors who were fixed in the Churches they had planted are called Bishops which is a name importing Oversight and Rule for Eleazar who was Son to the High-Priest and a Chief over the Rulers of the Levites is called a Bishop by the Greek Interpreters and elsewhere a Prince of the Rulers (i) Numb iv 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui cap. iii. 32. dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the sense of a Governor that word is elsewhere used by them in the Old Testament (k) Nehem. xi 9 14. Isai lx 17. In the New Testament the place of an Apostle is called a Bishoprick (l) Act. i. 20. and our Saviour is stiled the Bishop of our Souls (m) 1 Pet. ii 25. At Athens this name was given to the Judges (n) Aristid orat de concur ad As civ At Rome the High-Priest was sometimes named the Bishop of the holy Virgins (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. vit Numae which perhaps might occasion Hesychius to explain it by the word King (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesych p. 364. So that every where it hath been reputed a Name importing Dignity and Rule So doth the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which St. Paul gives to Bishops (q) Heb. xiii 7. signifie commonly chief Governors (r) Matt. ii 6. Act. vii 10. as doth also that other of Presidents which is applied to Bishops by very ancient Christian Writers (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Maâ—t Apol. 2. p. 97. Dionys Cor. ap Euseb l. 6. c. 23. I shall only add that they also have the name of Angels as some Fathers expound that of the Apostle of Womens wearing a Covering because of the Angels (t) Sacerdotes Ministros altaris intellige Prim. in loc ita Ambros Euch. in 1 Cor. xi 10. and as all of them generally interpret that of the Revelations where the Angels are the Bishops of the seven Churches of Asia (u) Revel ii 1. Epiph. l. 1. T. 2. Panarii alii passim a Title sometimes given to the Jewish High-Priest as we noted before The name Presbyter which some will have originally belonging to the first but afterward commonly given to the second Order of the Clergy denotes also Authority and Rule and seems to confirm the old usage of the eldest Sons governing all the Family (w) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diod. Sic. l. 2. a custom retained in Arabia till Strabo's time (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strab. Geog. l. 16. p. 530. The Ancients in Homer are put for the most Honourable as Eustathius notes (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not. Eustat ad Hom. Iliad 2. And it is not only in the Old Testament that a Presbyter or Elder signifies a Ruler and one in Authority (z) Numb xi 16. xxii 7. Josh xxiv 31. alibi But in all Languages some word of like signification is used for men in some Office or Honourable Post as Senators in Latin Seigneur in French Signore in Italian Sennor in Spanish and our Saxon Ealdorman are all Titles of Honour (a) Vide Seld. Syned l. 1.
c. 14. p. 335. Skinners Dictionary voce Signior alibi and so was Presbyter originally intended for the Verb from which it comes signifies to Rule (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesch p. 784. and it is used for a Superior Of which the word Priest which we commonly use is only a barbarous contraction but can by no means be supposed as some profanely apply it in their discourse to be any name of diminution or contempt There remains only the Title of Deacon now restrained to the lowest of these three Orders but it must be reckoned honourable in it self because it is applied to the chief Civil Magistrate in respect to his being subordinate to God (c) Rom. xiii 4. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Bishops to the Apostles and to Christ himself (d) Rom. xv 8. 2 Cor. vi 4. Colos iv and though I would not infer from that use of the Name as a late Author doth that this Order was not in the Apostles time (e) Preface to the History of the Regalia p. 14. yet I may justly note that no dishonour can be cast upon our Deacons or Ministers from this appellation that will not reflect upon Magistrates and our Lord also To which I may add Mr. Mede's observation that 't is not said they are Ministers of the people but of God and of Christ (f) See Medes Diatrib on 1 Cor. iv 1. Wherefore all the names of these Sacred Orders in Scripture are honourable and so are also the Offices signified by them and this may suffice for the inspired Books As to the Opinion and Practice of the Christians afterwards they could not but value the Priesthood at an high rate since they reckoned it so necessary to Religion that there could be no Church where there were no Priests (g) Ecclesia non est quòd non habet Sacerdotes Hier. adv Lucif c. 8. ita Theod. Valent. l. 20. in append ad Cod. Theodos And the famous Justinian hath recorded it in his Laws That the Kingdom and the Priesthood are the greatest gifts that the Divine Goodness hath given unto men (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin praef ad Auth. coll 1. Tit. 6. p. 11. but to go back to the earliest times Epiphanius cites ancient Authors affirming That St. James Bishop of Jerusalem after the manner of the Jewish High-Priest (i) Exod. xxviii 36. wore a golden Plate as a Diadem on his Head in token of his Royal Priestood (k) Epiphan Panar l. 1. T. 1. haer 29. l. 3. T. 2. haer 78. The like Ornament as Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus reports was used by St. John (l) Euseb Hist l. 5. c. 23. p. 141. And Baronius gives instances of the same thing used by Primitive Bishops who could not be supposed to do it out of Pride but to express the dignity of their Order (m) Baron Annal. An. 34. p. 240. which in times of persecution when it had no outward lustre nor secular support was honoured by the faithful and those holy Bishops were revered as the representatives of God and Christ Jesus Yea St. Ignatius an humble Bishop and an eminent Martyr requires Christians to obey their Bishop as Christ did his Father to observe and reverence the Presbyters as the Apostles of Christ and to respect the Deacons as the Ordinance of God (n) Vid. loc citat à D.H. Ham. dissert 2. c. 25. which is no more than our Saviour and St. Paul had intimated before (o) Luk. x. 16. 1 Thes iv 8. And so it was no new Doctrine of his It were endless to give instances of the strict observance of these Precepts by the devout Converts of that Age so that one or two may suffice The blessed Martyr St. Polycarp was so highly honoured by the people of Smyrna where he was Bishop that until the day of his Martyrdom he had never pulled off his own shooes every one striving who should do that office for him (p) Euseb Hist l. 4. c. 15. p. 97. and those of Antioch kissed the Hands and embraced the Feet of Meletius their Bishop (q) Chrysost de S. Melet Antioch T. 5. p. 539. The old and famous St Anthony the Hermit who lived in the times of Persecution though he wrought Miracles yet being not in Orders he used to bow his Head and humbly receive the Benediction of Bishops and Priests nor would he pray if but a Deacon were present but made him go before him in the Office (r) Athanas in Vit. D. Ant. Tom. 5. p. 508. And this Custom of bowing to beg the blessing of the Clergy and other very holy Men was so usual among Christians that the very Gentiles did it to St. Anthonys's Scholar St. Hilarion as St. Hierom in his life reports (s) Vit. S. Hilarion apud Hieron Tom. 1. p. 329. and the usage continued for many Ages both in the Eastern and Western Church to kiss the Clergies hands and kneeling to receive their blessing (t) Vid. Haberti observ in Pontifical Graec. Obs 7. p. 139. But I proceed and shall add that when Constantine became a Christian he was exemplary for honouring the Clergy for comming to the Council of Nice and seeing the Bishops rise to receive him he would not sit down in that venerable Assembly till the Fathers desired him (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb in Vit. l. 3. cap. 10. p. 363. and when the Council was ended He feasted them all in his Palace making divers of them sit at his own Table (w) Id. ibid. c. 14. p. 364. In after times St. Martin was placed next to the Emperor Maximus and his Presbyter sat between the Emperors Uncle and Brother at a Feast where many Nobles were present (x) Sulpic. Sever. vit D. Martini §. 23. p. 466. And it was believed a Judgment of God fell upon Valentinian the elder for not rising to that Bishop when he came to him (y) Idem in Dialogo §. 6. p. 537. I might also note that if Bishops sollicited Princes for the pardon of Criminals or on other occasions of Charity they used not to deny them And St. Martin is said rather to command it than intreat in such cases (z) Et si pro aliquibus supplicandum regi fuit imperavit potius quam rogavit Sulpic. Sever. vit §. 23. p. 465. But I shall rather observe that before there were Christian Magistrates the Apostles put the power of judging all causes among beleivers into the Governors of the Church (a) 1 Cor. vi 1. and 1 Tim. v. 19 20. who exercised this Power during the times of Persecution (b) Nam judicatur magno cum pondere c. Tertul. Apol. cap. 39. But when the Emperors became Christian the Bishops were by Law made Judges of all Spiritual Matters and of all Causes among their own Clergy (c) Sozom. Histor Eccles l. 1. cap. 9. p. 206.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Julian frag p. 556. The Druids who were Priests to our Heathen Ancestors trained up their Disciples twenty years together in their Discipline and then admitted them with a solemn Oath the Form of which is yet extant (a) Vettius Val. Antiochi ap Seld. Praef. de Diis Syris And when their chief Priest died a Successor was chosen by Merit only and the Common suffrage (b) Caesar de Bell. Gall. lib. 6. p. And Suetonius notes That the Emperor Claudius would admit none into the Colleges of Priests till they had first taken a solemn Oath (c) In cooptandis per Collegia sacerdotibus neminem nisi juratus nominavit Sueton. vit Claud. c. 22. which shews that all Mankind agreed to use great caution in the choosing and initiation of the Ministers about holy things But our previous care relies on a better Foundation than this for we have the command of God in Scripture and the Laws and Practice of the Primitive Church for it Our Lord no doubt chose his Apostles and lxx Disciples out of the very best of the Jews or else he made them so and because he knew their Hearts there was no need of Testimonials or Examination Yea the Apostles and their immediate Successors had the Gift of discerning Spirits (d) 1 Cor. xii 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophilac in loc that is of knowing by Inspiration who were fit for the Ministry So that they could foretel what proof they would make and such were the Prophecies that went before concerning Timothy (e) 1 Tim. iii. 18. Vide Chrys c. in loc apud Annot. Grotij ibid. This also was the meaning of St. Clement's saying The Apostles made Priests and Deacons of such as they had proved by the Spirit (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Ep. ad Corinth p. 96. and the same were such as St. John ordained in the lesser Asia Men that were marked out by the Spirit (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Hist l. 3. c. 17. p. 67. But the Apostles foresaw that this temporary miraculous Gift would cease after the Church was setled whereupon having fixed Timothy Bishop at Ephesus and Titus in Creet who were to have a subordinate Clergy he gives them Rules to direct them in examining and approving the Candidates for holy Orders (h) 1 Tim. iii. 1. c. Titus i. 6. 11.2 and charges them to Ordain none hastily that is not till they had throughly tried them (i) 1 Tim. v. 22. i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ita Theophil in loc And it is very observable that no such Rules are given in any of St. Paul's Epistles written to whole Churches only in these two that are directed to two Superior Bishops Which is a demonstration that this Apostle intended not only the Ordination but the Scrutiny and Approbation of all Ecclesiasticks should be solely in the Bishops power Now these are Injunctions laid on these Governors of the Church by Divine Authority which they are bound in Conscience to obey and how exactly every one of them was observed by the Primitive Bishops shall be shewed more particularly afterwards It is sufficient here only in general to observe that the ancient Council of Sardis Decrees The Candidates shall be examined with all exactness and care and each of them must stay no little time in the inferior before they are admitted to the superior Orders since neither Prudence nor Piety allows that Men shall enter into these Orders rashly or suddenly and the Blessed Apostle the Doctor of the Gentiles forbids the making hasty Ordinations (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Sard. Can. 10. Bever T. 1. p. 496. And before this the first General Council of Nice declares that a time and a trial is necessary to all before they can be made Clergy-men (l) Concil Nicaen 1. Can. ◠Bev. T. 1. p. 60. Can. 9. ibid. p. 70. As to our Church we not only enquire after their inward Calling but try and examine their Qualifications before that which may be counterfeited as being secret is allowed and if the same care were taken to enquire into the fitness of all that are put into secular Offices of Trust and Power as there is into the Candidates for sacred Orders the Publick would be much better served for the Ecclesiasticks must bring Testimonials and pass one if not two Scrutinies before they can be accepted of which more hereafter §. 5. And also by Publick Prayer with imposition of Hands were approved and admitted thereto by lawful Authority It would make intolerable confusion in all Professions if every Man who judged himself qualified for an Eminent Station might thrust himself into it till he were solemnly admitted by lawful Authority For every Man thinks well of himself and at this rate every conceited Soldier would be a Captain and every Opinionative Lawyer a Judge wherefore there are two things here required 1st That the Clergy shall be solemnly admitted by Prayer and Imposition of Hands 2ly That they shall be admitted by lawful Authority which will give me occasion to discourse in general First Of their solemn Admission Secondly Of Episcopal Ordination for Bishops only with us have the sole lawful Authority to admit First No Clergy-man can enter into Orders but by a solemn Admission which is appointed in Conformity to the Divine directions under the Law concerning the Garments the Sacrifice the Anointing and the Washing in the Tabernacle Exod. chap. xxix before Aaron or his Sons might Officiate I might enlarge upon the solemn Forms of admitting the various sorts of Priests among the Gentiles but for brevity sake I will only refer to one or two Authors concerning the Creation of Flamins and Vestals (m) Rosin Antiqu. l. 3. cap. 15. p. 215. item Brisson de Formul lib. 1. p. 118. Nor shall I enlarge upon all the Christian Rites of Ordination in this place because the particulars will occur afterwards Only note in general that Fasting Prayer and Imposition of Hands were always used on these occasions Our Lord directed his Disciples to Pray immediately before he created them Apostles (n) Matt. ix 38. chap. x. 1. and both Deacons and others were ordained by Fasting Prayer and Imposition of Hands (o) Acts. vi 6. chap. xii 2 3. 1 Tim. iv 14. Which holy Custom was kept up in all Ages of the Church with great Reason since it was begun by our Saviour and his Apostles and because these Orders are of so great importance to the Church 'T is plainly the Sense of all Mankind that no Office of Trust or Power should be conveyed to any sort of Men Civil or Military without some solemn Creation Admission or Investiture to the same wherefore this is much more necessary with respect to such as are Officers under the King of Heaven and entrusted with the care of Souls This then being agreed on all hands we pass to the second thing
the Christians had greater reason than he to do this viz. Mens Souls which are of more value than their Lives and Estates are committed to our Priests but of the rite it self all Ages afford evidence When Fabian was designed Bishop of Rome An. 237. by the miraculous lighting of a Dove on his Head The People with one Soul and all readiness cryed He is Worthy (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb l. 6. c. 29. The Author of the Apostolical Constitutions who though he writ after this relates many ancient Customs saith that upon the publication of a good Man they use to cry thrice He is Worthy (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constit Apostol l. 8. c. 4. In the Western Church there is abundant proof of this form of Acclamation as may be seen in St. Ambrose (k) Ambros de dignit Sacerd. c. 5. Tom. 4. p. â—82 and in St. Augustine who declaring Eradius his Successor the People cryed out divers times He is Worthy He is Worthy He is Just (l) Aug. Epist CX edit Venet. 1552. T. 2. p. 107. So when Rusticus was chosen Bishop of Auvergne all the People immediately cryed out He is Worthy and Just (m) Greg. Turon hist Franc. l. 2. c. 13 yea in this Church of England it is recorded of Gundulphus that his excusing himself as Unworthy to be a Bishop was drowned by the cry of the People that he was Worthy n Vox se indignum clamantis opprimitur cùm quo se clamat indigniorem eo dignior acclamatur Selden not in Eadmer p. 196. and so he was chosen Bishop of Rochester about ten years after the Conquest But nothing can make this Custom clearer than the ancient Forms of Ordination which in the two lower Orders constantly prescribe that the People shall testifie their consent by crying Worthy which they thrice repeat in the Greek Church (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euchol in Ordin Diac. p. 251. ita in Ordin Presbyt p. 294. and in like manner at the Consecration of a Bishop the Clergy repeated thrice he is Worthy he is Just in the old Roman Form (p) Ordin Roman vet ap Morin de Ord. Lat. Par. 2. p. 276. In other Forms of great antiquity the same acclamation is required before a Bishop be Consecrated (q) Morin ibid. p. 265. and in the lower Orders there is generally in all the Gallican and other Western Offices of Ordination a form of address to the People desiring to declare by their Voices that such an one is Worthy to be a Priest or a Deacon (r) Mabil de Lit. Gallic l. 3. p. 103. p. 305. Morin ut supr p. 263 264. But it seems this was afterwards turned into a Summons to the People to make their Objections against any of the Candidates (s) Morin in ordin circ An. 700. p. 267. And so hath this Form continued for near 1000 years together as may be seen by comparing the ancient and later Offices and those of other Churches with that of our own (t) Morin de ord Lat. Par. 2. p. 272 281 284 310 c. Pontif. Roman p. 31 p. 40. Ordin Ed. 6. apud Sparrow Col. p. 139. Scotch Psalter by Jo. Knox. p. 11. So that in so universal an agreement of the whole Christian World founded upon so plain intimations of Holy Scripture we cannot but own the usage is right in it self and the best expedient that can be found to exclude the Unworthy Yet this constant and solemn application to the People no doubt gave occasion to their further encroachments at elections of the Clergy and at last from witnesses of their Conversation they presumed in some places to claim a right of choosing especially their Bishops which filled those Churches where it was practised with violent Factions and intolerable Mischiefs However not only Mr. Baxter but some that pretend to our Communion have undertaken to defend this false pernicious and impracticable Opinion that the People have right to choose their Pastors wherefore I shall take leave to digress a little and briefly enquire into this matter §. 5. Of Popular Elections If the People had a right to choose doubtless it would have been declared in Scripture or in pure and primitive Antiquity or it must be grounded upon constant and uncontrolled practice in some of the first and best Ages but neither of these can be proved Before the Law the Priestood being hereditary and the privilege of the First-born God who only gives precedency of Birth and long Life not the People chose their Priests Under the Law the Priesthood was fixed in one Tribe and the Office of High-Priest in one Family and none of them could be excluded unless there were some defect in their Extraction their Bodies or their Minds or for some high Crime of which ordinarily the Sanhedrin not the People were judges (u) Vid. Outram de Sacrif l. 1. c. 6. p. 63. and the Kings sometimes placed or displaced the High-Priest (w) 1 Kings ii 27 ver 35. so did Antiochus Epiphanes (x) Joseph Antiq. lib. 15. cap. 3. and the Roman Emperors when they had successively conquered the Jews choose or reject the High-Priests at their Pleasure But in all this period for near 4000 years there are no footsteps of either Right or Fact as to popular Elections After our Saviours coming and entring on his Ministry he chose his Apostles and the LXX Disciples himself and 't is plain he gave his Apostles power to choose and ordain others and left no manner of intimation that the People should have any right herein Those CXX who appointed two Candidates for the vacant place of Judas and left the choice by lot to God (y) Act. i. 23 26. Solent quae sorte dantur dici divinitus dari Aug. Gen. ad lit l. 1. c. 18. were not all the Believers no nor that multitude of the Disciples who chose the seven Deacons (z) Act. vi 2.5 but the Apostolical College of Pastors which consisted of the Apostles and 70 Disciples and about 38 more of the principal Disciples fitted for the Ministries of the Church as a very learned man hath proved (a) Dr. Lightfoot's works Tom. 1. pag. 744 c. pag. 778. The Holy Ghost chose Barnabas and Saul (b) Act. xiii 1 2 3. The Apostles were only guided by it in choosing Bishops for their fixed Successors (c) 1 Tim. i. 18. Vid. Patr. citat à Grot. in loc and had a peculiar gift of discerning Spirits that is of judging who were fit for these Offices (d) 1 Cor. xii 10. and they being inspired gave Rules only to the Bishops Timothy and Titus what kind of Persons they should choose into the Ministry (e) Vid. Theoph. Praef. ad 1 Ep. Tim. ad Epist Tit. as hath been observed already therefore they only then had a right to elect The Peoples part allowed by St.
and divers Prayers with a brief Exhortation But of late they have added abundance of frivolous and superstitious Ceremonies and Benedictions which crept in while Ignorance and Error prevailed in all these parts of the World as is fully demonstrated by an exact Author (m) Antiqu. Recentior Officia Roman Collat. vid. ap Mason de Minister Anglican l. 2. c. 17. to whom I refer the Reader And I shall only note here that our judicious Reformers in compiling this Office as well as in the rest have cast away all the Roman Superfluous and Corrupt Innovations about blessing Vestments anointing delivering the Ring Pastoral Staff c. and so have reduced the substantial Part of it as nigh to the Primitive Forms as our Circumstances could bear but have enlarged it with divers pertinent places of Scripture and proper Questions as also with accurately composed Prayers So that now we may affirm our Form of Consecrating Bishops is the best and most adapted to the occasion of any Office extant in the World as will more particularly appear in the subsequent Discourses upon that which hath not been already treated of in the Former Offices CHAP. II. Of the First Collect. The Analysis thereof This Collect consists of Two Parts 1st An Introduction commemorating 1. That which Christ gave to his Apostles Almighty God who by thy Son Iesus Christ didst give c. 2. That which he enjoyned them and didst charge them to Feed the Flock 2ly The Petitions that are grounded on it 1. For the Bishops that they may Teach and Govern well Give grace to all Bishops the Pastors of thy Church that they may c. 2. For the People that they may obey them in both and grant to the People that they may obediently follow the same 3. For both that they may be finally saved that all may receive the Crown of Everlasting Glory through c A Discourse on the First Collect. §. 1. Almighty God who by thy Son Iesus Christ didst give to thy holy Apostles many excellent Gifts and didst charge them c. Nothing can be more proper to begin the Consecration of a Bishop than the commemoration of those Gifts which Christ gave and that Charge he laid upon his Apostles the First Bishops of his Church the same Charge being incumbent upon Bishops now which was given to the Apostles and as they have their Duty they need some measure of their Assistance The Apostolical Office was only temporary while the Church was planting but the Bishops by their appointment were fixed to Feed and Rule it after it was Setled unto the end of the World Hence they were in all Antiquity counted the Successors of the Apostles and the Fathers call the Apostles Bishops (o) Apostolos i. e. Episcopos Praepositos Dominus elegit Cypr. Epist 65. Ipse enim imponens Manum Apostolis ordinavit eos Episcopos Aug. in N. Test Qu. 97. Tom. 4. p. 179. and as commonly give Bishops the Title and Name of Apostles (p) Apostolorum honorem possidentes habere nitentur meritum Hieron Epist 13. yea all Bishops were then stiled Apostolical and their Sees Apostolical Seats (q) Episcopatus dicitur Apostolatus Sidon Apollinar l. 6. ep 7. l. 7. ep 4. Et unusquisque Episcopus sedit in Apostolica sede Idem l. 6. ep 1. 4. Although of later times the Popes and Bishops of Rome have arrogantly made a Monopoly of those Titles But this right of Succession and community of Names being general doubtless it is very fit when any are to enter into this Venerable Order to commemorate first what Gifts God through Jesus Christ gave to his Apostles since we may reasonably believe so far as their Office and Duty is the same so far his Goodness and Bounty will move him to supply them also with Gifts suitable to their need He gave to his Apostles many excellent Gifts indeed which St. Paul enumerates viz. The Word of Wisdom and of Knowledge the Gift of Faith the Power of Healing and Working Miracles the Spirit of Prophecy the Skill of Discerning Spirits and of Speaking as well as Interpreting divers Tongues (r) 1 Cor. xii 8 9 10. Some of which were Miraculous and peculiar to that Age and therefore are now ceased but those of Wisdom and Knowledge and a sound as well as a strong Faith are still necessary and therefore permanent So that we may justly beg these Gifts for our Bishops so the Greek Church pray That God would strengthen their Bishops with the Grace of his Blessed Spirit as he strengthned his holy Apostles (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euchol in Ordinat Episc p. 303. which is a very natural deduction especially considering Secondly The Charge which Christ first gave to his Apostles viz. To feed his Flock These Words were spoke to St. Peter but in him the rest were intended yea all the Successors of the Apostles are obliged by this Charge as well as they (t) John xxi 16. Cum ei dicitur ad omnes dicitur pasce Oves meas Aug. de Agon Christi c. 30. and therefore both St. Paul (u) Act. xx 28. and St. Peter (w) 1 Pet. v. 1 2. repeat this Charge and Enjoyn the Bishops which they had chosen to Feed the Flock of Christ the Burden goes with the Honour to every Bishop that is or shall be Consecrated to the Worlds end And therefore we commemorate this as their present Duty and accordingly pray that this and every other Person who is called to so great a Charge may have grace to perform it very well In the Petitions we give Bishops the Title of Pastors of Christ's Church and our Lord himself first had both these Names being called the Pastor or Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls (x) 1 Pet. ii 25. He is the Chief Pastor (y) 1 Pet. v. 4. and they under him are also Pastors of their several Portions of Christ's Flock where they Preside in his Name and Rule by his Authority and for which at last they must render him an account (z) Singulis Pastoribus portio gregis ascripta quam â—ogat unusquisque rationem sui actus Domino redditurus Cypr. ad Cornel. ep 55. For while he was on Earth he Fed his Flock himself by his Preaching his Example his Exhortations and Reproofs and loved his Sheep so entirely as to die for them whence the Greek Church desires of God to make this Bishop an Imitator of his true Shepherd (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Euchol p. 303. And then only he deserves the same Name with his Great Master when he follows his Example in his fervent love of and diligent care for the Souls committed to his Charge Methinks the consideration of this sharing with Jesus in the Pastoral Office should make the Bishops very careful and faithful in executing the same for which they have such a Pattern and concerning which their All-seeing Master
Converts and 't is plain they had two Orders under their Inspection and Rule both the Preaching Presbyters and ministring Deacons in regular Churches especially a little before the end of the Apostles time But our Preface dates the certain and general use of these Orders from the Apostles time So that we need not prove much more than what is granted by D. Blondell the great Champion for two Orders who confesses that Bishops were distinguished from and superior to Presbyters so early that the usage had prevailed about the year of Christ 140 (y) Blondel citat a Dr. Hammond in Epist praefix Dissert de Episc §. 23. Now it is agreed that St. John lived till An. Christ 98. and if this usage had prevailed within 42 years after it must either have begun in the time of the Apostles and then must be made with their consent or else we must suppose so great a Change could be begun and perfected in distant places in a very short time which is incredible especially if we look on the temper and state of those poor pious and persecuted Pastors who succeeded the Apostles for no man can imagine they were busie in procuring a Dominion over their Brethren which neither Christ nor his Apostles had allowed them Yet we can go higher than Mr. Blondell yields and as early as St. Clemens Romanus who writ an Epistle to the Corinthians before St. John's death or about that time and though in one place of it where he speaks of the time when the Apostles first planted Churches he mention only two Orders yet afterwards he takes notice that before the late unhapy Schism They walked in Gods Laws being subject to their Governors and giving due Honour to the Presbyters among them (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Ep. ad Corinth p. 4. Now since we cannot reasonably suppose the Christians at Corinth then had any secular Governors of their own These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are set before and distinct from the Presbyters must be Bishops Spiritual Governors who in Scripture are called by that very name (a) Act. xv 22. and Hebr. xiii 7. And we may from this place further note Obedience is due to them and only Reverence to the Presbyters So that these two Orders were distinct from the very time of the Apostles And he mentions the third of Deacons also so that it is no wonder if he liken the Christian Hierarchy to the three Orders among the Jews nor can it be doubted but these Three Orders were distinct in his time S. Ignatius follows him who was Martyred ten years after St. John's death An. 108. and his Epistles mention Bishops Priests and Deacons as then fixed in all the Churches he Writ to so very often that we cannot cite all the places in this brief account but refer the Reader to Dr. Hammond's Dissertations (b) D. Hammond Dissert 2. de Episc cap. 25. de Testim D. Ignatij where they are all collected and the places are so clear that such as would maintain only two Primitive Orders are forced to question the Authority of the Holy Martyr 's Epistles But a learned Writer hath so fully vindicated them for genuine (c) Vid. Vindic. Epistolar D. Ignatij per Pearson Edit Cantab. 1672. and so plainly proved that all other Writers of the second Century did distinguish these Orders (d) Ibid. cap. 13. p. 155. that my pains are superseded in that matter and Ignatius remains an undoubted Evidence for these three Orders So are those two genuine Epistles of Pius Bishop of Rome Anno 164. Wherein he names two of his Subordinate Clergy Soter and Eleutherius both afterwards his Successors most worthy Presbyters And in the fourth Epistle written to a Bishop he saith That the Presbyters and Deacons should honour him not for his Superiority but for his being Christ's Servant d (e) Epist 3. Pij prim cap. Bin. Tom. 1. p. 70. Epist 4 ibid. p. 71. In the same Century Anno 192 lived Clemens of Alexandria who speaks of some precepts in Scripture given to Presbyters others to Bishops and others to Deacons (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Al. paedag l. 3. cap. 12. And expresly affirms that there were then in the Church the Degrees of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. Strom. lib. 6. p. 667. than which nothing can be clearer Next to him may be placed Tertullian his contemporary who names all these Orders and affirms the right of Baptizing is in the Supreme Priest that is the Bishop and then in Priests and Deacons but not without his Licence for the Honour of the Church (h) Dandi quidem jus habet summus sacerdos qui est Episcopus dehinc Presbyteri Diaconi c. Tert. de Bapt. cap. 17. And he blames the Hereticks for blundering these Sacred Orders and confounding them with the Laity So that one was a Bishop to day and another to morrow one a Deacon or Presbyter to day to morrow a Reader or a Lay-man (i) Idem de praescript haeret cap. 41. p. 217. Yea he there tells us that Bishops were set over the Church by the Apostles and that the Succession was continued to his time (k) Idem ibid. cap. 32. p. 213. which is what our Preface affirms concerning Bishops that they had been over the Church from the Apostles time To him in the beginning of the next Century may be added Origen Anno 220 who saith that Bishops Priests and Deacons are names of distinct Administrations (l) Origen in 19. Matth. p. 363. And he names these Orders again (m) Idem in 21. Matth. ver 12. p. 442. and when he had reckoned up the Laity the Deacons and himself among the Presbyters he adds The Bishop is he that had delivered to him the Ecclesiastical Rule over all of us (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. in Jerem. hom 2. Before the middle of this Century flourished St. Cyprian An. 248. who every where names these three Orders so expresly that none can deny they were fixed in the African Church long before his time wherefore waving innumerable testimonies concerning the distinction of the Orders I will only cite two or three about their Subordination First he saith Bishops succeeded the Apostles and are ordained in their stead and that Schisms and Heresies spring from contemning this one Bishop * Praepositos qui Apostolis vicariâ ordinatione succedunt inde enim Schismata Haereses obortae sunt dum Episcopus contemnitur Cypr. Ep. 69. And as to the Presbyters acting presumptuously against their Bishop he represents it as an offence against God a forgetting the Gospel their own place and the future Judgment when without regard to their Superiour without any precedent in former Ages they challenge his whole Power with rudeness (o) Cypr. Ep. 10. p. 29. And he hath writ one Epistle only to shew the horrid Crime of a Deacon
observable in this Paragraph Secondly What is the lawful Authority to admit Men into holy Orders which we affirm to be only Bishops and here I shall not content my self to prove this by the Statute Law of this Land that no Man can be a lawful Priest or Deacon unless he be ordained by a Bishop (p) Stat. 13. Eliz. cap. 12. §. 1. and Act of Uniformity 14 Car. 2. but further shew this Law is grounded upon holy Scripture and the Canons and Practice of the Universal Church First Our Lord as Supreme Ruler of his Church called and ordained his Apostles (q) Matth. x. 1 2. chap. xxviii 19 20. John xx 21 22 23. and they ordained Deacons Presbyters and Bishops (r) Act. vi 6. xiv 23. 2 Tim. i. 6. but they gave the power of admitting all others only to the Bishops to whom also they only gave Rules to choose Candidates by as was observed before The Canons of the Apostles are express that two or three Bishops are necessary to the Consecrating a Bishop and one to the Ordaining a Priest and Deacon (s) Can. Apostol 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Bev. T. 1. p. 1. Neither of which as Dionysius observes can be initiated without the Bishops Prayer (t) Dionys Eccles hierar cap. 5. So Firmilianus affirms That the Presidents have the sole power of Baptizing Imposition of Hands and Ordination (u) Firmilian Ep. ad D. Cypr. numb 75. p. 237. which Testimony with others did so convince the learned Daillé the great Patron of Presbytery that he owns Ordination in St. Cyprian 's time was properly the Bishops right (w) Ordinationem Episcopalis juris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuisse in Cyprianci seculi Ecclesiâ confitemur Daillé de cult Latin relig lib. 2. c. 13. p. 171. So that this confession of so great an Adversary may excuse any further proof for that Age and if it be considered that the Bishops down from the Apostles to Cyprian's days were very Poor and persecuted as well as very Pious it cannot be supposed they should within that period have usurped or monopolized any Authority that was not left them by the Apostles and thus this concession amounts to a grant that the Bishops had the sole right of Ordaining given them by the Apostles Afterwards that Bishops alone did Ordain is so plain it needs no proof And St. Hierom where he warmly attempts to equal Presbyters and Bishops in many things yet even there excepts the power of Ordination as the Bishops sole right (x) Quid facit Episcopus excepta Ordinatione quod Presbyter non facit Hier. ad Evagr. Ep. St. Chrysostom also makes the same exception as to Ordination (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chr. in 1 Tim. §. 11. T. 4. p. 287. And if this had not been the general belief of the Ancient Catholick Church Aerius would not have been reckoned an Heretick by Epiphanius and St. Augustine for denying this difference between a Bishop and a Presbyter (z) Epiphan haer 75. p. 404. Augustin de Haeres haer 53. Tom. vi p. 6. Where Epiphanius notes the Episcopal Order makes Fathers of the Church which the Order of Presbyters cannot do (a) Epiphan ut supra l. 3. T. 1. c. To which also the Ancient Canons agree Those of Ancyra ten years before the Nicene Council forbid both the Chorepiscopi and City Presbyters to Ordain (b) Synod Ancyran can 13. not Bev. T. ◠p. 175. In the Council of Sardica those Clerks that were Ordained by Musaeus and Eutychianus who were not Bishops were only admitted to Lay-communion (c) Concil Sardic an 347. can 18 19. Bev. T. 1. p. 505. The like Decree also was made about the Ordinations of Maximus a pretended but no real Bishop that the Persons should be reputed no Clergy-men and all his Acts annulled (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Concil Const 2. can ◠Bev. T. 1. p. 91. Soz. lib. 1. cap. 9. So it was determined in a Synod at Alexandria that Ischyras who was ordained by one Colluthus a meer Presbyter should be deprived of that degree to which he had falsly pretended (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synod Alexand. ap Athanas Apol. 2. for say they since Colluthus died but a Presbyter his Ordinations are void (f) Epist Synodal ap Bin. Tom. i. p. 405. So in the Council of Antioch where the Chorepiscopi are forbid to Ordain Balsamon notes Presbyters are not mentioned because it was taken for granted they could not pretend to such a power (g) Balsam in 10 Can. Concil Antioch ap Bev. T. 1. p. 439. The Council of Hispalis degraded a Priest and two Deacons for this only Reason That the Bishop being ill in his Eyes suffered a Priest to say the Prayers over them contrary to the Ecclesiastical Custom and they say the Bishop should have been deprived also had he been alive (h) Concil Hispal 2 Can. 5. An. 619. Bin. T. 2. par 2. pag. 326. Whoever desires to see more instances may consult Baluzius his notes (i) Baluzij not in Capitular Reg. Franc. Tom. 2. p. 1246. where he gives other Examples of Clerks that were un-episcopally ordained who were to be re-ordained or reputed meer Lay-men It was upon this universally owned principle that Bishops only could Ordain that when the Emperors gave Rules for the qualifications of Candidates for holy Orders they directed them only to the Bishops (k) Collat. Authentic Tit. 6. Nov. Just 6. T. 2. p. 2 c. and the General Council of Chalcedon lays the Penalties for all Un-canonical Ordinations only upon the Bishops because they only could be Guilty of these Crimes (l) Concil Chalced. can 2. can 6. Bin. Tom. 2. p. 112. 118. The sixth General Council upon the same ground reckons up Ordinations as those things which peculiarly belong to the Office of a Bishop (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil in Trul. can 37. Bev. Tom. 1. p. 199. So that nothing can be clearer than the Bishops sole Right to Ordain if we consult the Canons or usage of the Church in all former Ages But some object this will deprive divers Foreign Churches where they have no Bishops of a lawful Ministry because their Ministers have no Ordination but by Presbyters To which I shall only say that the first Presbyter who presumed to Ordain had no such power given him and so could not rightly convey that which he never received There is no precedent in Scripture of meer Presbyters Ordaining alone and such Ordinations would have been declared null in the Primitive Ages yea for 1500 year together no such were allowed But the fairest plea is That some of these Churches were forced by dire necessity to this irregularity by the obstinate refusal of the Popish Bishops to ordain any that were for Reformation so that they must either have such a
whereof I refer the Reader to a very learnned Author who hath taken pains to compare their Offices for Ordination with ours and those of the Primitive Church and proved that we have rejected nothing but needless and late inventions in this piece of Service So that ours is much to be preferred before theirs (c) Collationem vide ap Mas ibid. cap. 17. p. 227 c. The Lutheran Churches have Forms something more agreeable to Antiquity and proper for this Occasion yet they are not full enough in some substantial Parts and cannot compare with our Office (d) Formula ordinationis ad sacr ministerium Lipsiae usitat Impres Ibid. 1624. Much less can the old Scotch Form said to be drawn up by Mr. John Knox which is very defective in the election of ordinary Ministers (e) Scotch Psalter cap. 2. p. 8. edit Middleburgh 1594. and not much better in the Form of electing a Superintendent An. 1560 (f) Ibid. p. 16. But out of all these we shall sometimes make proper Observations concerning their Agreement with our Offices Concluding this general Discourse with observing that since no one intire form of Ordination is left on Record in holy Scripture every Church hath power to compose a Form for its own use to which all the Members of it must adhere provided there be nothing contained therein contrary to God's word As for ours it is drawn up by the Rules of Scripture and is not only Orthodox but so instructing so pious and so very proper to the occasion that I do recommend it First To all that are to enter into holy Orders to read that Form over which belongs to the Order he is about to receive that he may prepare himself for it by understanding his Duty and considering his Vows before he make them (g) Eccles v. 2. Secondly Because we must perform our Vows and practise our Duty all our lives long it is convenient if not necessary for every Clergy-man once a year at least seriously to read the same Office over to keep him mindful of his engagements The pious Cardinal Borromaeo enjoyned every Priest to keep the day of his Ordination yearly remembring it in his Prayers (h) Concil Mediol 3. Anno 1573. ap Bin. T. 4. par 2. p. 421. And our Clergy would find it very much conduce to mind them of their Duty and excite them to do it with zeal and diligence if they did spend annually the day of their admission in Fasting Prayer and Reading attentively these useful and incomparable Forms §. 7. And none shall be admitted a Deacon except he be Twenty three years of Age unless he have a Faculty A Priest shall be full Four and twenty years old A Bishop shall be full Thirty years of Age. Because the Scripture hath not determined the exact time when Men shall enter into these several Orders every Church hath fixed the Ages by the Rules of Prudence as they saw most fit St. Paul 't is true forbids a Novice to be made a Bishop but that is to be understood not of a person young in years but newly converted (i) 1 Tim. iii. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 è D. Chrysost Theophil But all Churches have agreed not to admit Men very young into these weighty Offices for God himself fixed the Ages of Thirty and Twenty-five for the Levites entring on their Ministration (k) Numb viii 24. iv 3.23 ubi lxx ubique habent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our Saviour was Thirty years old when he began to Preach (l) Luk. iii. 23. Which is the reason given by the Council of Neocaesarea Why none though otherwise worthy shall be admitted Priest till he be Thirty years of Age (m) Concil Neocaes An. 315. Can. 11. Bev. T. 1. p. 411. The Council of Agde decreed the same Age for a Priest and appointed a Deacon should be Twenty five year Old (n) Concil Agathen An. 506. Can. 16 17. Bin. T. 2. par 1. pag. 555. and these were the common ages in those eldest times For St. Hierom vindicates his Brother's Ordination because he was then Thirty years Old and he supposes Timothy was no older when he was made a Bishop (o) Hierom. Epist 62. ad Theoph. Tom. 2. p. 273. I know some have carried this higher for Caesarius Bishop of Arles would not ordain a Deacon till he were Thirty years of Age (p) Cypr. vita Caesarij ap Mabillon Lit. Gal. p. 170. And Justinian made a Law that none should be a Presbyter untill he were Thirty five year Old (q) Authent Coll. 9. Tit. 6. Novel 123. c. 13. But the Sixth General Council of Constantinople reduced it to the old period and appointed Thirty for a Priest and Twenty five for a Deacon (r) Concil 6. Constant in Trul. An. 681. Can. 14. Bev. T. 1. p. 173. Which Ages to name no more were fixed in the Saxon Church above a Thousand years ago as appears by Egbert's Collection of the Canons then in force here (s) Excerpt Egbert Can. 91 95. An. 750. Spelm. Tom. 1. p. 267. Yet as our Preface notes in case of great and early merit or an extraordinary occasion this may be dispensed with For Pope Zachary allows Boniface Bishop of Mentz to ordain Priests as well as Deacons at Twenty five years of Age because he wanted assistants among the newly converted Germans (t) Si autem tales non reperiuntur necessitas exposcit à 25 An. supra Levitae Sacerdotes Ordinentur Zach. ep 12. Bin. T. 3. par 1. p. 374. and it was upon the extraordinary merit of Epiphanius afterwards Bishop of Pavy that he was ordained Deacon at Twenty years of Age (u) Ennodius in vit Epiphan Ticinens and that it is likely was the cause why St. Remigius was made an Arch-Bishop when he was but Twenty two (w) Vide Hincmar in vit Remigij yea in the Greek Church one Eleutherius was not above Twenty year old when he was consecrated a Bishop in Illyricum (x) Niceph. Callist Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 29. No doubt there are some persons of early parts and extraordinary Learning and Wisdom though they be very young (y) Antevenit sortem meritis virtutibus Annos and in such cases they are to be regarded rather according to their Discretion and Knowledge than their Ages (z) Levit. xix 32. Hebr. Sen. Chal. Par. ejus qui Doctus est in lege unde RR. dicunt Senex est qui Sapiens est I could instance in divers of those who entred very young into the Ministry and have proved very Eminent but I need name no more than the most famously learned Bishop Usher ordained before he was Twenty one (a) See his Life p. 561. and the pious and eloquent Bishop Jer. Taylor who entred into Orders younger than he (b) See his fun Sermon wherefore 't is fit there should be a
power of dispensing being necessary in some Cases and commendable in others (c) Ubi necessitas urget excusabilis est dispensatio ubi utilitas provocat laudabilis Bern. de consid l. 3. c. 10. I shall only add that the Canon Law fixes the Age of Twenty five for undertaking a Cure of Souls (d) Decret Gregor l. 1. tit 6. c. 7. §. 3. col 129. and our Statute Law allows none under Twenty four to be instituted to a Living (e) Stat. Eliz. 13. c. 21. §. 3. 5. because it is fit they should be of steddy minds who undertake so great a Charge If any shall object that we in this Church admit Men something younger than was done of old I think two sufficient Reasons may be assigned for that practice First That the methods of Learning are now more compendious than in former Ages so that experience shews Men arrive at much greater degrees of skill in Languages and Sciences in Twenty four than formerly they could do in Thirty years Secondly Our Clergy are not now obliged to Vow celibacy and that is a Reason given in some later Councils why they bound them to stay to so confirmed an Age that they might upon trial of their inclinations better know whether they were able to keep such a Vow or no. §. 8. And the Bishop knowing either by himself or by sufficient testimony any Person to be a Man of vertuous conversation and without crime The Age being determined for all Orders the Preface concludes with describing the Qualifications of a Deacon the times place and publick manner of admitting one to that Order And 't is but Reason since Bishops have the sole power of Ordaining that they should use very great caution in admitting Candidates wherefore this Preface requires that they shall be well assured either by their own knowledge or by the testimonial of credible Persons that they are Men of good Lives and free from all noted Crimes and herein chiefly lies the use of Testimonials the Bishop may easily judge of their Learning but it cannot be supposed he can know how most of them have lived before their entrance into holy Orders and yet if he do admit any that have been scandalous he will not escape blame and ought to repent of it afterwards (f) Curae sit tibi maxime introducere tales quos postmodum introduxisse non poeniteat Bern. de consid l. 4. c. 4. p. 887. Wherefore our Canon wisely enjoyns they shall bring sufficient testimonials of their sober Life from such as have known and lived near them for three years before (g) Can. 34. Eccles Anglic which also foreign Canons have required (h) Nemo fiat Clericus nisi qui bonum testimonium habet Capit. Reg. Fran. lib. 6. c. 126. Now these Laws are grounded on St. Paul who makes it necessary for a Bishop to have a good testimony of those without that is of Heathens (i) 1 Tim. iii. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophil in loc and if that were requisite when most were Pagans much more is it necessary now that this part of the World is Christian The Pagans might accuse maliciously but those of our Faith should have no ends to serve but the glory of God and the interest of the true Religion so that it is justly hoped what such Men say is very true because they must wish the Church to which they belong may be as well served with good Priests and not be scandalized with bad ones And such as sign these Testimonials have it put into their Power to discover evil Men and commend only those that are worthy wherefore since so great a Trust is reposed in them they ought never to sign any Testimonial which they know to be false yea which they do not know to be true least they become guilty of bearing Falsewitness and mislead the Bishop who cannot see all things with his own Eyes nor hear all with his own Ears and so must rely on others to direct his choice (k) Miser est imperator apud quem vera reticentur qui cum ipse publice ambulare non possit necesse est ut audiat vel audita vel à pluribus roborata confirmet Capitol vit Gordian p. 668. And let him be never so desirous to keep out wicked Pastors an Hypocrite commended by eminent Hands may deceive him and then the dishonour of God and mischief to Souls which are the sad consequences of such misinformation are to be charged only upon those who for fear favour or negligence signed the false Certificate who deserve a severe Punishment in this World if our Law as the Indian did allow it (l) Apud Indos extremi digiti eorum qui falsum testimonium consignassent decurtantur Strab. Geogr. l. 15. However they shall certainly answer for it in the next World and I heard a most Reverend and Worthy Prelate now with God (m) Ar. Bp. Dolben who died April 11. 1686. charge his Clergy not to impose upon him by signing Testimonials which they did not know to be true as they would answer it to him at the dreadful day of Judgment Which being duly considered will I hope prevent that evil Custom of giving Mens hands out of Custom or Complement to mere Strangers or to oblige a Friend that we know doth not deserve it Since most of those infamous Persons that are in Orders generally crept in at this Door But as to the particulars it is necessary that the Bishop be satisfied First as to his Life and Secondly as to his Knowledge The first enquiry is into their lives (n) Ante vita quam doctrina quaerenda est Ambros in Psal cxviii 1. T. 1. p. 873. for that is over and over repeated by St. Paul that they must be blameless (o) 1 Tim. iii. 2. Titus i. 6 7. and if they be never so learned or ingenious and be not virtuous their example will do more harm than their preaching can do good they discourage the pious and harden sinners dishonour our Lord Jesus disgrace his Church and not only destroy their own but others souls also So that if men be vitious and criminal no other qualifications ought to recommend them they must by all means be kept from Holy Orders but of this more hereafter §. 9. And after examination and tryal finding him Learned in the Latine tongue and sufficiently instructed in Holy Scripture The next care of the Bishop is to examine and try the understandings of such as come to offer themselves to be ordained of which he and his Chaplains are competent Judges So that if he ordain any illiterate Person that fault must lie upon the Ordainer only since Virtue may but learning cannot be counterfeited before a learned and diligent Examiner 'T is St. Paul's injunction and so indispensible that He be apt or as the word imports able to teach (p) 1 Tim. iii. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor can
Ignat. Epist ad Trall and St. Cyprian affirms the Apostles chose them to be Ministers of their Episcopal Office and of God's Church (l) Episcopatus sui Ecclesiae Ministros Cypr. ad Rogat Ep. 9. but their special duty was to distribute the Bread and Cup to the People after the Bishop had Consecrated it as a learned Author hath made out (m) Bevereg Annot. ad Can. 2. Concil Ancyr T. 2. p. 174. who also shews there that they bore a part in the Liturgy with the Priest or Bishop and when Churches were built in the Country Deacons alone sometimes performed the whole Office there and not only read the Prayers but the Gospel and by license Preached or made an Homily upon it So that their Privileges encreasing at last they began to despise the Presbyters of which divers of the Fathers complain (n) Aug. Quaest ex utr Testam mixt qu. 101. Hieron ad Evagrium Ep. 85. Gregor M. lib. 1. Ep. 14 15 16. and many Canons of Councils were made to reform this abuse (o) Concil Carthag 6. Can. 18. Concil Rom. sub Gelas c. 9 10. Concil 1. Arelat Can. 18. 2 Can. 15. but since we shall have occasion to treat of the particulars hereafter we will now go on after our usual method first to give the Analysis of the whole Office and then explain the Parts in order The Analysis of the whole Office for making a Deacon §. 2. This Office is made up of 1st The preparatives before Ordination 1st More remote in 1. The Sermon Rub. I. 2. Presenting them to the Bishop 3. His Appeal to the People 4. The Litany 2ly More directly by 1. The proper Collect. 2. The Epistle 3. The Oath of Supremacy 4. The Questions and Answers 2ly The Ordination it self being 1. The Imposition of Hands 2. The solemn words 3. Delivering the New Testament 3ly The Consequents after Ordination 1. Reading the Gospel 2. Receiving the Communion 3. The Prayers after it 4. Some Instructions Rubr. ult CHAP. II. Of the Remoter Preparatives to Ordination §. 1. Rubr. 1. WHen the day appointed by the Bishop is come after Morning Prayer is ended there shall be a Sermon or Exhortation declaring c. This Section orders a Sermon or Exhortation shall precede every Ordination which if it be celebrated in a Cathedral and on a Sunday or Holy-day the Sacrament is always Provided only two things are to be noted first the placing and then the subject of these Sermons The place of our Sermons ordinarily are after the Nicene Creed but on these days lest the Office should be broken the Preaching is fixed after the end of our Morning Prayer strictly so called The Litany being removed into the Communion Service as very proper to this occasion otherwise the Litany would be to be said twice in one Morning and so too much lengthen the Offices And since the Ordination is to be performed at the Altar and always joyned with a Communion this Rubrick orders that all the rest shall be finished in the Body of the Church before the Bishop and Candidates go up to the Holy Table 2ly As to the Subject of the Sermon it is required that it relate to this Occasion for nothing is more comely (p) Prov. xxv 11. Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super rotis suit nor more profitable than a word spoken in due season it is very fit to instruct at this time first the Candidates in the several parts of their Duty and the Nature of their Office that they may weigh and consider well the great Charge they are about to undertake and be encouraged chearfully to promise and sincerely to resolve they will perform it by God's help 2ly It is also equally proper now to teach the Congregation what reverent esteem they ought to have of such as are set to watch for their Souls to offer up their Prayers to God and to make known God's Word and Will to them and thus all may be edified by such a pertinent Discourse and truly the usefulness of such a Sermon at this time is sufficient to justifie our own and other reformed Churches in requiring it (q) Post habitam Concionem incipit is qui Ordinationis ritum administrat Form Eccles Luther Edit Lips 1624. if we had no Precedents for it in Antiquity In the Roman Church in later Ages we can expect nothing of this kind because Preaching was there generally laid aside for divers Centuries yet in some very old Rituals there is a brief exhortation to such as are to be ordained or to the people or to both something like a Homily (r) Form of Ordin by Mr. Knox. p. 10. Print Middleburgh 1594. But probably in the Greek Church it was generally used that one of the Candidates if well qualified preached as St. Chrysostom did at Antioch on the day he was ordained Priest as the Title of that Sermon still extant plainly shews (s) Et convertens se Ordinator ad populum faciat Sermonem fi velit ante Litaniam Vet. Ordinal circ An. 900. ap Morin de Ord. par 2. p. 322. viz. The first Homily when he was promoted Presbyter and the Discourse appears to be made that very day (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Tom. 6. Hom. 38. p. 443. edit Savil. But he was a very extraordinary Person and so might be chosen to give an early experiment of his fitness to enter into this Holy Order Otherwise and ordinarily it seems more fit some graver and more experienced Priest should be appointed to do this Office because such an one may be likely to exhort and direct all present with more Judgment and more Authority than he who hath scarce yet made any trial of his abilities §. 2. Rubr. II. The Arch-Deacon or his Deputy shall present unto the Bishop sitting in his Chair near to the Holy Table such as desire to be ordained each of them being decently habited saying c. This Rubric directs 1st Who shall present the Candidates 2ly To whom and where they shall be presented 3ly And in what Habits As to the first it hath been very ancient and as generally observed that the Arch-Deacon should present both Priests and Deacons to be ordained So that we find an universal consent in all the old Formularies both of the Eastern and also of the Western Church in this matter so it is ordered in the Euchologion (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euchol p. 252 in the Syrian forms (w) Ordin Syror. ap Morinum par 2. p. 406. in the old Latine Ordinals (x) Ver. Form Latin ibid. p. 398. and in the modern Roman Pontifical (y) Pontif. Rom. p. 31. as well as in our Church and there is greater reason for this now than of old when the Arch-Deacons lived with and constantly attended on the Bishop at the Cathedral For now they have a considerable Jurisdiction allotted them in each Diocess which they ought
Paul being no more but only to declare them blameless as witnesses of their Conversation and certainly so long as the Apostles lived who had so extraordinary an inspiration and so had most of their immediate Successors it had been the highest presumption for the People to meddle any further in Elections than to applaud their choice So that there is no ground in Scripture for the Peoples Right to choose their Pastor Wherefore if they had not this power from Christ nor his Apostles let us next enquire whether the Primitive Church gave them any such Right St. Clement who lived with the Apostles saith they chose Bishops and Deacons out of those they had proved by the Spirit and that the whole Church was pleased with their choice (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Ep. ad Corin. p. 100. Universa Ecclesia sibi gratum esse testante ita vertit P. de Marca lib. 8. c. 2. that is they did not give their consent before but by an after-act testified their satisfaction as that word elsewhere signifies (g) Rom. i. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. xi 48. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that the People then could not be said to elect nor yet in any of those Cases where God by immediate direction of his Spirit or by some miraculous indication singled out the Person which was to be Ordained of which for some Ages there are divers instances (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb l. 3. c. 17. p. 67. idem l. 6. c. 9. p. 156. idem ibid. c. 22. p. 169. and till the time of compiling the Apostolical Canons there were Bishops promoted by divine Grace that is by indications from the Spirit (i) Apostol Can. 80. Bever Tom. 1. p. 52. So also the People had no right to elect nor hand in the choice of Bishops in those Churches where the eldest Presbyters succeeded of course being fit or if not the Presbyters of that Church chose one out of themselves as it continued to be done at Alexandria from St. Mark down to the time of Dionysius for near 250 years (k) Hieron ad Evagr. ep 85. Tom. 2. p. 511. but Ecchellensis saith the usage remained there to much later times (l) Ambros com in cap. 4. ad Ephes T. 3. p. 504. item Ecchellens ap B. Stilling unreas of Separat p. 320. And I could give many examples though they were irregular where Bishops nominated their Successors and the People did submit to their Choice and here also they could not be said to elect The main arguments for this pretended Right are some passages of St. Cyprian and a few seeming reasons But first as to St. Cyprian though he used to consult with the Priests Deacons and People in ordaining to the lower Degrees the reason was that he might weigh every ones merits and manners by their common advice (m) Solemus vos ante consulere c. Cypr. ep 33. p. 76. But to shew this gave them no right to elect he there speaks of one that he ordained privately because he knew the Person was worthy (n) Id ibid. p. 77. and his next Epistle presents us with a like case (o) Id. ep 34. p. 80. Vid. item ep 35. p. 84. Now it is not likely this strict Father and holy Martyr would have chosen men into his Clergy without the People if they had a right to elect Besides where he runs highest to prove the Peoples presence necessary it is only that unworthy Persons may be excluded (p) Ne quis ad altaris Ministerium vel ad Sacerdotalem locum indignus obreperet Cypr. ep 68. p. 201. The election is made by the Bishops but before the People who know perfectly every ones life and have seen their Conversations (q) Episcopus deligatur plebe praesente quae singulorum vitam plenissimè novit Id. ibid. p. 202. So that here they are only witnesses and they have the testifying part but the Bishops the power of judging and approving 'T is true the People in those difficult persecuting times were forced sometimes to sieze on and compel Men to become Clerks or Bishops which was then a prologue to Martyrdom and the Governors of the Church connived at and confirmed these uncanonical Elections otherwise they might have wanted Clergy but this must not be pressed for a Precedent to our peaceable times any more than Phedimus of Amasia his choosing and dedicating Gregory Thaumaturgus Bishop of Neo-caesaria when he was distant three days journey can justifie ordaining men at a distance or one of the Crouds naming Alexander a Collier for Bishop of Comana ought to be brought to justifie the right of popular nominations these were extraordinary cases and proved well in those instances but must by no means be drawn into example The reasons also given to prove popular Elections necessary in this period before Christianity was setled are not cogent 'T is said 1st The Clergy were then chosen out of the Body of the People 2ly It was necessary they and their Pastors should be dear to each other 3ly Their maintenance was only the Peoples free-will offerings To which 't is replied that every one of the particulars are true of the Apostles times in which 't is certain the People did not elect Besides 1st The Pastors being chosen out of the People only proves that they were proper witnesses of their Conversation but not judges of their Learning which yet Electors ought to be 2ly Nothing was more likely to set variance between the Pastor and the Party which was over-voted in the choice than such popular elections as was found by sad experience afterwards (r) Vide Augustin ep 225. D. Hieron ep 60 61 62. and had that hapned in times of persecution those factions had ruined Christianity in the Cradle 3ly The defeated Party would have been provoked to withdraw their Contributions from a Pastor forced on them and so great want must have ensued in many places but I must remark though the Quantity was voluntary yet they were better Christians in those Ages than to think themselves at liberty to give less than a Tenth Part since Christ had ordained agreably to his Fathers provision under the Law that they who preached the Gospel should live of the Gospel (s) 1 Cor. ix 13 14. and whoever chose them when they were chosen this at least was their just due I shall not now mention those weak Inferences from publishing their Names to the People as if that made them Electors For that very Historian who says the Emperor Severus proclaimed the Names of his intended Governors for Provinces also notes that he gave and he chose the Men for those places So that as yet there appears no ground for any right of the People in choosing Pastors no nor in the Canons of these Ages Those called the Apostolical Forbid Bishops to be translated though the multitude force them unless the Bishops judge it
reasonable (t) Apostol Can. 14. Bev. T. 1. p. 8. They suppose a Bishop sent to a stubborn People who will not receive him (u) Apostol Can. 36. ibid. p. 24. who therefore certainly was not chosen by them yea divers of these Canons make the Bishops Judges whether the Person be worthy or no (w) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. 77 79 82. ibid. The Council of Ancyra ten years before that of Nice also speaks of Bishops constituted over a Diocess that would not receive them (x) Concil Ancyran Can. 18. Bev. Tom. 1. p. 385. from whence the learned de Marca infers That Bishops were sometimes elected and consecrated at a distance from the vacant City and without the Peoples consent (y) Petr. de Marca de Concord l. 8. c. 5. p. 358. So that nothing appears of a right thus far After Constantine had setled Christianity and Peace brought Plenty into the Church the People began to interpose in Elections and some ill men made their interest that way but to assure us this was usurpation and no right the Councils of that Age condemned it and laboured to prevent this growing encroachment The first General Council of Nice condemns the Peoples forcing Bishops to ordain new Converts as being contrary to Scripture and the Canons (z) Concil Nicaen 1. Can. 2. Bev. Tom. 1. and the Council would have all in the Province consent to every Bishops Ordination and three at least to be present the rest declaring their consent by writing however the Metropolitan must agree to it and if any difference arise the suffrage of most should prevail (a) Ibid. Can. 4. Can. 6. p. 63 66. I know some of the Patrons of popular Elections stretch these Canons to all the People in the Province But besides the absurdity of so universal an Assembly on every vacancy all other Canons which repeat and confirm these do expresly expound them of all the Bishops in the Province (b) Concil Antioch Can. 19. Bev. T. 1. p. 448. Conc. Arelat Can. 5. Bin. T. 1. p. 565. Concil Carthag Can. 13. ibid. 527. Canones Mart. Bracar Can. 3. Bin. T. 2. par 2. p. 240. So that Balsamon affirms whereas the people had medled in Elections before these Canons restrained that use and placed the sole right of choosing in the Bishops (c) Balsam in 4 can Concil Nicaen Bev. ut sopr pag. 63. and de Marca saith this Council restored the ancient right of Election to the Bishops and to restrain the contumacy of the people did not so much as name their presence (d) Petr. de Marca de Concord lib. 8. cap. 3. pag. 382. The Council of Antioch nulls the advancing of a Bishop though all the people choose him if he be not first approved by a Synod and the Metropolitan (e) Concil Antioch An. 341. can 16. Bev. Tom. 1. pag. 445. it allows not of Translations by compulsion of the people (f) Can. 21. Ib. 450. and declares the Bishops in a Synod alone have power to promote a worthy Person (g) Can. 23. ibid. In the Council of Sardica the peoples inviting Men by Letters to be their Bishops is condemned as proceeding from Bribery and tending to Sedition (h) Concil Sardic An. 347. Can. 2. Bev. Tom. 1. pag. 484. and the Peoples desire of a Bishop cannot be satisfied unless all the Bishops have notice and most agree to it (i) Can. 6. p. 490. ibid. The Synod of Laodicea appoints Elections of the Clergy shall be made in private (k) Concil Laod. An. 465. can 5. Bev. Tom. 1. pag. 455. and having declared the Judgment of the Metropolitan and his Suffragans necessary to the appointing a Bishop (l) Can. 12. p. 458. They absolutely forbid the Crouds to elect (m) Can. 13. p. 459. For now the Church began to be very sensible of those many mischiefs that were the natural and necessary consequences of the peoples usurping a part in Ecclesiastical Elections in which they had no right to meddle further than to testifie their knowledge concerning the Candidates Life and Manners Wherefore there were after this all along many good Laws made to stop this growing evil but still in great Cities especially the people encroached more and more and fell into Factions Mutinies and Seditions almost upon every vacancy which often ended in Fighting Cruelty and Bloodshed to the shame of Christianity and the scandal of the Church of which I could give very many deplorable instances but they are collected to my hand by a most Learned and now Right Reverend Author (n) Unreasonableness of separat by B. Stilling p. 318. to whom I refer the Reader being not willing to lanch out into the Laws or practices of later Ages which signifie little to create a right in the people which Christ never gave them nor did his Apostles or their Successors in the pure Ages convey it to them but it began upon some urgent necessity in a few Cases in times of Persecution it was carried on in times of Peace by Force and Faction and was forced to be taken away by the abominable abuses of it and the miserable consequences that followed on it The only wonder is that Men to gratifie a Party should suppose that Christ or his Apostles were the Authors of a thing so naturally tending to divide and disgrace the Church and so manifestly the cause of confusion and every evil work 'T is well known the generality of the People are so bad Judges that if they had such a Right the most Votes would commonly fall on the worst Men (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. ap Stohaeum an empty cunning and plausible Hypocrite would easily get more suffrages among the Mob of a City than the most knowing humble and holy Men who least seek the honour they most deserve and if the Election were to be made in an assembly of the better sort of Citizens as was practised in some places a while the matter would not be much mended for in such Bodies of Men as Pliny well observes the Opinions are numbred not weighed and therefore in such Assemblies nothing is more unequal than this seeming equality for though the Members be unequal in Sense and Understanding yet their right to Vote is equal (p) Plin. Epist lib. 2. ep 12. p. 109. and this may suffice at present to say of this Matter for I shall afterwards have occasion to shew how the Bishops regained their original Right in naming and choosing the inferior Clergy and the Emperors and Princes with the Clergy elected Bishops and so put a period to the Mischiefs that had arisen every where from popular Elections And now I return to that ancient and just Privilege which our Church still preserves to the People that is a Liberty upon good grounds to accuse any of them who come for holy Orders §. 6. Rubr. iii. And if any great Crime or
Impediment be objected the Bishop shall surcease from ordering that Person until such time as the Party accused shall be found clear of that Crime That the people had of old a liberty to object in order to discover to the Bishops such as were unworthy hath been shewed already and if it be prudently managed 't is an excellent method to prevent his mistake who hath the sole power to approve But we find by St. Chrysostom that in his time these Accusations were too many and proceeded from prejudice rather than honest zeal Go saith he and behold the publick Festivals where according to Law they usually elect Ecclesiastical Governors and you shall see a Priest loaded with as many faults as there are numbers of people to be governed so that they who have Power to give the honour are also divided into many parties and the Assembly of the Clergy scarce can agree with one another or the Candidate (q) Chrysost de sacerd lib. 3. Tom. 6. Edit Sav. p. 23. To correct this one of the ancient Apostolical Canons decrees that nothing but proving the Accusation can stop a Man from being ordained (r) Can. Apostol 61. Bev. T. 1. p. 40. Zonaras in loc for as Julian the Emperor said well if to accuse be sufficient who can be innocent (s) Si accusasse sufficiat quis erit innocens Martin in vita coram oper And further least any out of evil will or ill principles should be prompted to invent false stories of the Clergy especially the higher Order A general Council and other Synod did forbid Hereticks and those under censure or excommunicate Persons to be admitted to accuse and the like was ordered as to Schismaticks (t) Concil Gen. 2. ap Const can 6. Bev. T. 1. p. 93. Concil Chalc. can 21. Apost can 75. Cypr. ep 42. 55. because it might justly be presumed that such as were Enemies to the Church were moved by malice or revenge to bring in false accusations But if the accuser be a credible Person then the Candidate must clear himself before he can be admitted to holy Orders Which is so great a disgrace loss and injury to the Party accused that he who charges a Man in these circumstances had need be very sure he can prove the Crime so that of old it was determined the accuser should be bound in an Obligation to pay or suffer an equivalent to the damages of the accused if he did not make good his charge (u) Nam inscriptio primo semper fiat ut talionem calumniator recipiat Damas Ep. 4. ad Steph. cap. 7. ita Concil Constant can 6 ut supra which is so very rational that it is decreed both in the Civil and Canon Law in all other cases (w) Leg. Honor. Theod. LL. 10. c. de calumn Gratian decret par 2. caus 2. qu. 3. cap. 3. and there is as good grounds for it in this case as in any other because it takes away both a Mans Lively-hood and also his good Name But if no such Obligation be required by our Church yet Men should do as they would be done by none would have their little faults aggravated nor suspected crimes published and solemnly averred and since more or less all are faulty the consideration of our own frailty should make us not very forward to accuse others to which end some ancient Ordinals when they invite the people to declare pray them to be mindful of their own Condition (x) Cum fiduciâ exeat dicat veruntamen memor sit conditionis suae Codex Corbei apud Morin p. 272. ita Pontif. Rom. p. 31. 40. since they also may fall or as some Books have it mindful of their own Communion (y) Communionis suae Morin ibid. p. 267. 284. viz. that he is a Brother who is thus charged by them whose faults if they be not mischievous and notorious Charity obliges those of the same Communion to excuse and cover Yet after all if the people know any great crimes of which these Candidates are guilty it is much better to declare them now when by such a discovery they may keep ill Men out than to accuse them and divulge their faults afterwards when the accusation tends only to the dishonour of Religion and the hindring the success of their Ministery and it will be supposed to proceed rather from malice than a zeal for Gods glory or love to the Church unless the complaint be made in private to their Superiors who have power to reform these Offenders Finally if any of these Candidates know any great Enormities they have committed though no Man accuse them yet God and their own Consciences know they are unworthy of so high and holy a Calling and will be a blemish to it whenever they are discovered So that without a long Repentance and such a change of Heart and Manners as may secure them from relapsing I must advise these Persons not to presume to offer themselves for if the Bishop do not God in whose place he stands will punish this presumption And I know some Conscientious Persons yet alive who were otherways extraordinarily qualified for holy Orders that meerly by reflecting on some of their too common juvenile extravagancies durst not take the Ministry upon them but applied themselves to Callings less grateful to them §. 7. Rubr. iv Then the Bishop commending such as shall be found meet to be ordered to the Prayers of the Congregation shall with the Clergy and People present sing or say the Litany c. If there be no Objection the Office proceeds and first the Bishop commends those who are found fit to the Prayers of the People and if any Priests are ordained that being the more weighty Office a space is allowed for the Congregations private Devotions for some of them may be Friends or Relations to the Candidate or be such as are to be under their charge and then they will desire time to put up particular requests for them for which this vacant time gives them an opportunity but even they who have no such special ties are obliged as Christians and Members of that Church wherein these Men are to officiate to pray heartily that its Clergy may be rightly chosen and replenished with grace since that is a common blessing to all good Christians in every part of the Nation The ancient Western Offices referring to the peoples crying Worthy Worthy do immediately order them all to joyn in their Prayers to God as they have done in their testimony of these Men saying let your common prayer follow your common consent (z) Commune votum Communis prosequatur Oratio c. Ver. Ordin ap Morin p. 263. Liturg. Gallic ap Mabillon lib. 3. p. 305. Pontif Rom. p. 32. and as now the whole Congregation hath at least by their silence consented to their admission So they are concern'd for the general good earnestly to pray for them 'T is a
Collegue they prayed first (z) Acts i. 24. and tho' the holy Ghost had named Barnabas and Saul yet the Church of Antioch fasted and prayed before their Designation (a) Acts xiii 2 3. And Reason teaches us that application ought to be made to God in this case as well because these Persons are to be appointed his immediate Servants as because he only can fit them for this great work Wherefore all regular Churches have set Forms on this occasion only in the Scotch method the Minister who ordains is to direct his Prayer as God shall move his heart (b) Scotch Psalter by Mr. Knox p. 11. But doubtless a judicious Form like this of ours is abundantly better upon so solemn an occasion and how very fit ours is I shall now shew by the following Analysis and Discourse The Analysis of the first Collect. This Collect contains 1st A Preface of the Divine Institution 1. Of divers other Orders in general Almighty God who by thy divine Provedence hast appointed c. 2ly Of Deacons in particular And didst inspire thine Apostles to choose into the order of Deacons the first Martyr c. 2ly The Petitions for the Candidates 1. More generally for Mercy Mercifully behold these thy Servants now called to the like Office c. 2ly Particularly for 1. True knowledge Replenish them so with the truth of thy Doctrine 2ly Holiness of Life And adorn them with innocency of Life 3ly The Motives to excite 1. Us to ask viz. 1. Their right discharging of their Office That both by word and good example they may faithfully serve thee 2. The churches benefit by it To the glory of thy Name and the edification of thy Church 2. God grant these requests Through the merits of our Saviour Iesus Christ who liveth c. Amen A Discourse on this Collect. §. 3. Almighty God who by thy divine Providence hast appointed divers Orders of Ministers in thy Church and didst inspire thine Apostles to choose into the Order of Deacons c. 'T is a just encouragement to our Prayers when we know that we desire Gods blessing upon his own institution and not our invention Wherefore our business being to beg his favour upon us in this Ordination in general and these Deacons in particular the Preface properly sets out 1st That the variety of Orders among Ministers in his Church And 2ly This Order of Deacons had their original by divine appointment God in his Providence foresaw in every Age what his Church would need While Jesus himself was on Earth only two Orders were necessary the Apostles and LXX Disciples and those he ordained to these the Deacons were added by the direction of the holy Spirit And while the Church was in planting divers extraordinary degrees of Ministers were requisite for that difficult work wherefore when our Lord ascended up on high he received of his Father and bestowed on Men several other special Gifts to qualifie some as Prophets to interpret the Scriptures of the old Testament by the same Spirit they were writ others as Evangelists to write the Acts and Sermons of our Saviour and Preach them and his Doctrine to such Nations as had not heard of him (c) Ephes iv 8. 11. But when these extraordinary occasions ceased then these Orders which were only temporary expired also But still the Ordinary Ministers of the Church were to continue to the end of the World viz. The Bishops for the perfecting of the Saints by Confirmation the Deacons for the works of Ministration at the Altar and in disposing Charity the Presbyters for the edifying the Body of Christ by Preaching and Admonition (d) Ephes iv 12. Jesus foresaw these would be things always to be done and therefore these Orders were ever to endure which Original of all the various degrees and the suiting them to the Ages and Occasions of the Church is well expressed in the Old Western Collect where God's presence is desired on this ground because he is the distributer of Orders and prepares things fit for each Season (d) Adesto quaesumus Domine honorum dator ordinum distributor officiorumque dispositor qui sempiterna providentia praeparas aptanda dispensas c. Vid. Morin Par. 2. p. 263. Mabillon Lit. Gall. l. 3. p. 304. Rom. Pont. p. 25. and then dispenses what is so prepared e But 2ly Our business being now to ordain Deacons it is further observed that this particular Order is also of Divine Appointment for as the Apostles were inspired in other Acts so no doubt they were guided by inspiration in the choice of a new Order and the old Offices say expresly in another Prayer for a Deacon that the Holy Ghost moved them to choose this Order (f) Eorum gradu quos Apostoli tui sancto Spiritu autore elegerunt dignus existat Morin p. 286. Mabil ut supr p. 305. Pontif. Rom. p. 39. And herein also we imitate the Eastern and Western Offices both that we make especial mention of the first Martyr St. Stephen (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euchol p. 250 251. ita Clem. Constit l. 8. c. 25. p. 142. Syr. ap Morin p. 447. Copt ibid. p. 506. item Occident ap Morin Mabill p. 286 305. the Captain and Leader of the seven Deacons as well as of the noble Army of Martyrs the lasting Glory of this Order and the most accomplished Pattern that can be proposed to all that enter upon this Office for their imitation whose gifts were so great that he was able to convince or confound all gainsayers yet his humility was so signal that he submitted to the meanest Office of taking care of the poor and needy being equally to be admired for the holiness of his Life and his patience under a cruel Death for his mighty Charity to his Bloody Foes and his vigorous Faith in his glorified Redeemer Now all this was the effect of God's Grace which is sufficient also to make you that are now to succeed him in the same Order to be like him at least in some measure in these heavenly Qualities wherefore you ought to look at the lovely Copy here set you and resolve firmly you will imitate him as far as you are able praying heartily you may do so in the next words §. 4. Mercifully behold these thy Servants now called to the like Office and Administration Replenish them so with the truth of thy Doctrine and adorn them with innocency of Life 'T is natural for men to look kindly on the works of their own hands but God's are always very good wherefore he always delights in them where his Providence appoints an Office his Favour follows it of Course That which he directed his Apostles to do in ordaining Deacons we are now about and as he was gracious to those first elected we hope he will be so to those who are called to an Administration like theirs viz. to officiate under the Governors of the
the Enquiries and reply deliberately where they are to promise their Conscience bearing them Witness that they assert the very Truth and do engage only what they intend to perform Otherwise it will bring a Curse upon them instead of a Blessing §. 11. The Analysis of the Questions These seven Questions are an Enquiry concerning three things 1st Their right way of entring into Holy Orders 1st As to their internal Call Qu. I. Do you trust that you are inwardly moved c. 2ly As to their external Call Qu. II. Do you think that you are truly called according to the will of c. 2ly Their right Faith especially in all Holy Scripture Qu. III. Do you unfeignedly believe all the Canonical c. 3ly Their resolution to do all the duties of this office in relation to 1st The people 1 Reading God's Word Qu. IV. Will you diligently Read the same unto the People c. 2 Assisting in Divine Offices and care of the poor Qu. V. It appertaineth unto the Office of a Deacon will you do this c. 2ly Themselves and their families Qu. VI. Will you apply all your diligence to frame c. 3ly To their Ecclesiastical superiors Qu. VII Will you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chief Ministers c. A Discourse upon the Questions §. 12. Quest I. Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you this Office c. That God's Providence which disposeth all things according to his Pleasure orders what particular Profession every Man shall take on him was a Truth believed by the Heathen (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. And therefore cannot be doubted of by Christians especially since Scripture teaches us that God calls Men to several States of Life to which for that Reason the name of calling is always given in the Holy Books (e) 1 Cor. vii 17. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in loc But there is much more Reason to affirm this concerning such as are to be made Ministers in the Church which is God's House and of which he is the Lord and Master Arrianus affirms none must take on him to be a Philosopher unless God move him to it (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arr. in Epict. l. 3. c. 22. p. 308. for otherwise he will be as absurd as he that should come into a well ordered House and say he will be Steward there Surely then none may presume to thrust themselves into Gods immediate Service without his special invitation and assent and this is what we name the internal Call and is the Subject of this Enquiry Now St. Paul hath declared That no Man taketh that is of right this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron (g) Hebr. v. 4. He was made a Priest by immediate Revelation So was St. Paul called to be an Apostle Miraculously and others in the first planting of the Church (h) Rom. i. 1. and 1 Corin. i. 1. Acts xiii 2. But this was an extraordinary way and so was not to endure long Yet still we may expect that the same Spirit which only can give them success in their Ministration should move them to desire this Office and bless all the endeavours they use to qualifie themselves for it 'T is true this is an inward motion and so only known to every Man 's own Conscience (i) 1 Cor. ii 11. and to God that searcheth the Heart (k) Jerem. xi 20. and xvii 10. therefore in his Presence we demand of them if they do sincerely believe their first Inclinations to this Holy Calling were from the Spirit of God Now to answer falsly to such a Question is lying not to Men but to God (l) Acts v. 4. So that the Candidates ought to examin their own Hearts very strictly concerning this Matter For it is an easie thing to deceive our Ordainers in this case who are fallible Men and cannot look into our Breasts and unless we take great care we may also deceive our selves For we are generally favourable Judges in our own Cause Our Heart is deceitful and we cannot easily know it as God hath told us (m) Jerem. xvii 9. Our mind saith St. Gregory often belyes it self to it self feigning to love the good Works it hateth and not to value the glory of the World which it doth love (n) Gregor M. Pastor par 1. cap. 9. fol. 3. E. you will say then how shall we be directed in this matter so as not to be imposed on our selves nor impose upon others in so nice an Enquiry I reply you must observe the Question and examin if you take this Calling upon you with no other design than to serve God by promoting his Glory and Edifying his People And this is Calvins definition of the Inward Call in his Book of Institutes which being published about Ten year before the Ordinal of Ed. the sixth might probably be a guide to our Reformers in framing this Question That it is the good Testimony of our own Heart that we have taken this Office neither for Ambition Covetousness or any evil design but only out of a true fear of God and a desire to edifie the Church (o) Areana vocatio est bonum cordis nostri testimonium quod neque ambitione neque avaritiâ neque ullâ aliâ cupiditate sed sincero Dei timore aedificandae Ecclesiae studio oblatum munus recipiamus Calv. Instit l. 4. c. 3. p 353. edit primo An. 1535. Now this we may know by duly considering whether it were the external Honours and Revenues that are annexed to this Profession or any other Worldly end that first or chiefly did incline us to the Ministry if so we were moved by carnal objects and led on by our own corrupt will and affections But if our principal motives were Spiritual that is a zeal for God's Glory and a desire to promote the Salvation of Souls then we were moved by the Spirit and inwardly called by God I grant we cannot but know there are honours and rewards piously and justly annexed to this Holy Function and as Men we cannot but hope for a competency of them yea this may be a subordinate motive but I may say of the Priesthood as Christ of the Kingdom of Heaven it must be sought in the first place for it self and the other only as additional consequences thereof (p) Matth. vi 33. Sint verba legis fundamentum via terrae adjunctum Dict. R. Jehud ap Rab. Nath. de patr We must love the Duties of this Calling Reading Study Praying Preaching c. more than the rewards (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marc. Anton. l. 4. §. 31. yea if Persecution should ever strip the Church of these Provisions as it hath often done we must not cast off our Holy Ministrations (r) 1 Cor. ix 16. For he cannot be a good Servant who hates his Work and loves nothing
but his Wages (s) Avidus ad mercedem piger ad laborem Aug. de Sanctis Ser. 4. if God move us his Service is our first aim and our principal desire we shall serve him chearfully whether we have a greater or a lesser compensation 'T is too mean a design for one who is to wait at God's Altar and praise him there with Angels Archangels and all the Host of Heaven to look on this only as a Trade to get Bread or a creditable way of living (t) 1 Sam. ii 36. Ne facias legem coronam aut securim Adag Hebr. which the Rabbins call making Gods Law a Crown or a Hatchet Our motives must be Nobler Higher and more Spiritual if they come from above Now since we can only know this the Question is and ought to be put to us For this inward Call thus explained Is the first and one of the principal qualifications for him that is to be employed about Heavenly things and therefore it is inserted not only into ours but other reformed Offices for Ordination where 't is enquired if they believe that God by the Church calls them to this Ministry and if they did not seek it for worldly Riches or Glory (u) Liturg. Eccles Belg. Qu. 1. in Ordin p. 260. The Scotch Psalter by Mr. Knox. Form of Ordination Qu. 2. p. 18. There are no Footsteps of this in the Roman Office which no doubt is a culpable omission yet we are told by a late Author that some Zealous Bishops of that Communion in France not long since refused to ordain such concerning whose internal Vocation they were not satisfied (w) Dr. Burnat's Preface to the Regalia p. 28. but I believe few of their fellow Bishops followed their Example because it is not required by Law as it is in our Church Our Candidates know this Question will be asked them wherefore let them examine their Hearts strictly and answer it in the sincerity of their Souls not doubting but that Good Spirit who excited them to this Work will assist and bless all their performances Quest II. Do you think that you are truly called according to the Will of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Due Order of this Realm c. So long as Miraculous Gifts continued the Persons endued with them in a larger measure than others were easily known to be called by God and some of them as St. Paul were not called of Men nor by Men (x) Galat. i. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in loc But this was peculiar to the Apostles or to that Age only as St. Chrysostom hath observed for now since Miracles and such Divine Evidences and Indications are ceased it is necessary that this inward Call should be tried and approved of by Men. Nothing is so easie to counterfeit as a Message from the Gods (y) herculè audivi esse optumum mendacium quicquid Dii dicunt id rectum est dicere Plaut Mostell Act. 3. Sc. 1. p. 528. saith the Slave in Plautus and experience tells us nothing is more readily believed among the vulgar than such a Pretence managed by a bold undertaker so that this inward Call hath been in all Ages pretended to by all the Imposters in Religion Among the Jews there were false Prophets who gave out that God called them but he declared they ran before they were sent and Prophesied out of their own Heart or as the Original imports made themselves Prophets (z) Jer. xxiii 21. Ezek. xiii 3. Heb. Voc. eos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. Vers Qui suam sequuntur phantasiam In Christian times this set up Montanus and many other enthusiastical Hereticks And though Mahomet had no power of Miracles no gift of Prophecy no learning nor good Life to prove his Mession yet he boldly said God was his witness that he had sent him (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euthym. Zigabin Panoplia edit per Sylburg p. 46. In the ignorant and superstitious Ages the Roman Church gave very great encouragement to Men and Women that were illiterate to Preach upon pretended Commissions from Christ or Visions and Dreams which they boasted of (b) S. Vincentius somniadit se à Christo missum ad Praedicandum Vid. Lipom. in vit mihi p. 263. ita Hildegardis vid. Opera ejus in Bib. Patrum Tom. 15. edit Col. 1622. But afterwards finding the mischief of these holy Cheats they were forced to enquire into those false Claims (c) Acta Cor. Cardin. Alliaco ap Baluz Miscel T. 2. p. 284 294. And 't is the weak credulity of most of our Sectaries which exposes them to admit bold Pretenders to the Spirit to be their Teachers without any preceding Tryal and hence Papists in disguise ignorant scandalous and heretical Men have got into their Conventicles and been admired by the abused Croud as Persons sent from Heaven and full of the Holy Ghost To prevent which Common but Dangerous Cheat the Primitive Church punished those who presumed to exercise any Ecclesiastical Office while they were Lay-men with Excommunication and they forbid the inferiour Clerks to officiate untill they were in one of the higher Orders (d) Concil 6. Constant in Trullo Can. 58. Can. 64. Balsamon ibid. Bev. T. 1. p. 225 p. 233. And there were from the first setling of Churches every where publick Forms drawn up for examining such as desired to be Ordained and then solemnly to Admit them which no doubt was agreeable to the Will of our Lord Jesus Christ who inspired his Apostles to give Rules to their Successors the Bishops for trying all that were to be promoted to Holy Orders as was shewed before whence we may infer that our Saviour and his Apostles did not think any Man's Word was to be taken as to his inward Call till his claim had been enquired into and approved by the Governors of his Church and till they also gave him an external Call therefore to fix an Order in every Church for the solemn trial and admission of Ministers is according to the Will of Christ in general And since the Order duly setled in this Realm is so agreeable to Primitive Practice and to God's Word we may safely say that such as are admitted according to this Due Order are admitted according to the Will of Jesus Christ the particulars I shall demonstrate in every part of these Discourses so that I need only remark here That our Candidates may answer this Question when they have read this Tract and understand this Office well more certainly and upon better grounds than those of any Church in the World For though the two Essential Parts of Ordination Prayer and Imposition of Hands are retained in both the Eastern and Western Offices which are of Apostolical institution yet there are so many Ceremonies added some of which are apparently Superstitious and Idolatrous and some so dubious that whosoever doth consider can scarce say with a clear and
wherefore our wise Reformers rejected all such Legendary Stuff and restored the Primitive Usage that is commanded that nothing should be read in the Church but the Canonical Scripture except some few practical parts of the Apocrypha (w) See the Preface to our Common-Prayer Concerning the Service of the Church Besides since the reading the Bible in publick is intended for the edification of the People they took care to translate it into the English Tongue accounting it very absurd to lock up that sense which all men should understand in an unknown Tongue The first reason of turning the Scriptures into Latin was that the Romans whose Mother-tongue that was then might understand them but to keep them in Latin now when no Nation in the World naturally speaks that Language is to act contrary to the design of the first Author of that Version yea of the Holy Penmen themselves who writ in Tongues then commonly understood and required their writings should be read to the People in the Church in a Language known to them (x) Coloss iv 16. and forbad those who had the gift of Tongues to use that gift in any Religious Assembly without an interpreter (y) 1 Cor. xiv 3 4 5 ver 14 15 16. From whence it was that as soon as any Nation of a new Speech was converted to be Christian the Scriptures were soon after Translated into their Language as I could prove by many instances (z) Hoc affirmat de Gothis Isidor Chron. edit per Grotium p. 711. De Saxonibus Alured ep ap Spelm. T. 1. p. 380. not Wheeloci in Bed Hist l. 2. c. 18. p. 153. De Abassinis Ludof Hist Aethiop l. 3. c. 4. Nor do any sort of Christians want this Privilege but the miserable People under the Roman Yoke And doubtless it is inhumane Cruelty to hide this Lamp which God lighted up to direct their Feet and illuminate their Paths (a) Psal cxix 105. under a Bushel (b) Luk. viii 16. this is to leave them in the dark (c) Psal xix 7 8. to rob them of that word which being heard with meekness is able to save their Souls (d) James 1. ver 21. To deprive them of that which is every way profitable for them as St. Paul affirms (e) 1 Tim. iii. 16 17. 1st For Doctrine that is to teach and confirm that which is True 2ly For Reproof that is to discover and confute Errors and Heresies 3ly For Correction that is to reform the lives of evil Men. 4ly For Instruction in Righteousness that is to make the lives of good Men better So that it is sufficient to make men perfect and throughly furnished to every good work Being therefore so very profitable and universally beneficial we strictly charge our Ministers to read it diligently to their People and that this Office may be effectual unto all the purposes aforesaid they must be admonished to prepare their hearts to hear it as the Will and Words of the God of Heaven clearing their minds from all vain and wicked thoughts (f) Eam reverentiam scriptis tuis debeo ut sumere illa nisi vacuo animo irreligiosum putem Plin. lib. 9. ep 35. p. 372. keeping silence all the while the Minister is reading to which they were commanded in the Primitive Church (g) Facto tandem silentio Scripturarum sunt lecta divina solennia Aug. de Civ Dei 22. c. 8. and listning to these Sacred Portions of the Holy Text with great attention because otherwise they cannot learn by the Instructions nor be wrought upon by the Exhortations and Reproofs comforted by the Promises nor warned by the Threatnings and thus alas the Ministers reading and their hearing will be in vain but of this I have spoken more at large before (h) See Comp. to the Temple Par. 1. Sect. 9. p. 89. and shall only add that we ought not to value Sermons that are meerly human composures above the hearing Scripture read as many weak people do who refuse to come to Church to hear the divinely inspired works of the Prophets and Apostles on such days as there are no Sermons which argues a great contempt of God's Word and is a manifest neglect of a most profitable Ordinance instituted by Christ and his Apostles and which might very much promote our Salvation if we duly attended thereto Quest V. It appertaineth to the Office of a Deacon in the Church where he shall be appointed to serve to assist the Priest in Divine Service Will you do this c. This comprehensive Question doth briefly but fully set out all the other Duties peculiar to the Office of a Deacon First with intent to instruct the Candidate in all parts of that weighty Charge he undertakes and then to require his solemn Promise that he will perform them by God's help It is not fit he should take a place in God's House till he know what are the Duties thereof nor can he wisely or honestly engage to do all these particulars till he know them Wherefore the Bishop lays them plainly before him that he may not afterward pretend to excuse himself by Ignorance there is a like Form in the Aethiopic Ordination of a Deacon (i) Vid. Morin de Ordinat Copthitar p. 507. and a Rubrick in the Syrian Formulary directing the Bishop to instruct a Priest in his Duty Yet both are after the Orders are given (k) Idem de Ordinat Maronitar p. 410. but ours is placed more properly to shew him that is to enter on this Office that it is rather a Burthen than an Honour (l) Clericatum non honorem intelligens sed onus Hieron de Nepot ep 3. T. 1. p. and to give him opportunity distinctly to consider the manifold Obligations now to be laid upon him and we will explain them severally in hopes that such as are concerned will take some time before they come for Orders seriously to Read over the particulars and examin themselves whether they are willing to undertake so great a Charge and conscientiously resolve to execute it Now these Duties are First Such as are to be done within the Church Secondly Those that are to be done at large in the Parish where he is fixed First We may observe in general that as in a well ordered Army every Officer and Common Soldier hath his peculiar Post So in an established Church every Priest and Deacon hath his particular Cure and Charge for not only our own Canons but those of the ancient Church expresly forbid the Ordaining of any Clergy Man without a Title to some Cathedral or Parochial Church wherein he is to celebrate Divine Offices (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Chalced. can 6. Bev. T. 1. p. 118. vid. Syn. S. Patricij can 3. Spelm. T. 1. p. 53. Excerp Egb. can 51. ibid. p. 263. Et can 33. Eccles Angl. for experience taught Bishops that unfixed Clerks could not be governed nor
Candidate first by a visible Sign viz. Laying his Hands on the Persons Head which is one of the most ancient Rites in the World for conferring any Blessing Dignity or Power For thus it was used before the Law (s) Gen. xlviii 14. and under the Law also (t) Numb xxvii 18 23. Deut. xxxiv 9. And from the constant use of the Jews the Apostles brought it into the Ordinations of the Christian Church and used it so constantly (u) Acts vi 6. xiii 3. 1 Tim. iv 14 ver 22. 2 Tim. i. 6. that the word even in Scripture is put for the Act of Ordination (w) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. xiv 23. and all Ecclesiastical Writers Fathers Historians and Collectors of Councils use the Laying on of Hands for conferring Holy Orders as might be proved if it were necessary by innumerable instances but in a matter so very plain we will content our selves with a few which will suffice to shew this was an Apostolical and Primitive Rite and an Essential Part of Ordination The ancient Author under the name of Dionysius saith the Imposition of Hands gives the Priestly Character and Power (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccles Hier. c. 5. and St. Basil saith by Laying on of Hands they receive the Spiritual Gift (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil ad Amphil. Can. 1. Bev. Tom. 2. p. 48. A Priest is made as another hath it by the Power of the Holy Ghost by the Bishops Voice and Laying on of his Right Hand (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jov. Monach. ap Phot. The Ordination of the Clergy as St. Hierom speaks is compleated by two things Laying on of Hands and a Prayer of the Lips (a) Hieron lib. 16. in Jesai The same is also affirmed by all the Schoolmen who generally make this Imposition of Hands necessary to the conferring of Holy Orders (b) Durand Ration fol. 21. D. Tho. 3. p. qu. 84. art 4. Bonavent in 4. sent dist 24. art 2. qu. 1. and the Canon Law decrees if it have been omitted it must be supplied cautiously afterward without repeating the whole Office (c) Greg. de decret l. 1. Tit. 16. de Sacram. non iterand c. 3. p. 310. Remarkable is the Story of Marcianus an holy Bishop who having ordained an evil Man wished his Hands had rather been thrust into an heap of Thorns than laid on the Head of Sabbatius at his Ordination (d) Socrat. Hist lib. 5. cap. 20. and we read of some Orthodox Priests who with indignation thrust away the Hands of Arrian Bishops when they would have laid them on their Heads (e) Theod. Hist l. 4. c. 14. And as to the mystical meaning of this Ceremony I find it variously explained some will have it signifie the taking them into God's special protection (f) Ita Dionys Eccl. Hier. cap. 5. Et Simeon Thessal in Eucholog pag. 257. others the granting them power to act because the Hand is the instrument of action (g) Cyril in Jesai l. 5. Manum Dei potestatem Dei dixit Aug. Com. in Psal lxxii T. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ita Pachymer Schol. in Dionys others the plentiful imparting to them the Gifts of the Spirit for Gifts are distributed by the hand (h) D. Tho. Aquin. ubi supr But the most natural signification of it seems to be the Bishops delivering them a power to officiate in the Church and to administer holy things but because he doth this in God's Name and by Authority from him the Candidate should lift up his Heart to Heaven and pray for grace to fit him for this weighty Charge There is only to be further observed as to this Rite The difference between the two Orders for at the Ordination of a Deacon the Bishop alone lays his Hands on the Head of the Candidate but when a Priest is ordained the Priests that are present do all lay on their hands with the Bishop which some would derive from Timothy's being ordained with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery but the Greek Fathers and Ethiopick Version expound that of the Bishops who joyned with St. Paul in making Timothy a Bishop (i) 1 Tim. iv 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 〈◊〉 Theoph. in loc Impositione Manuum Episcoporum Vers Aethiop And in the Greek Church none but the Bishop lays on his Hand at the Ordination of a Priest as well as of a Deacon (k) Euchol in Ordin Diac. p. 250. in Ord. Presbyteri p. 293. So that it is an ancient usage only of the Western Church mentioned as early as the 4th Council of Carthage An. 398. where it is said when a Priest is Ordained all the Presbyters that are present shall joyn with the Bishop in laying on Hands But at a Deacons Ordination only the Bishop lays on his Hands (l) Omnes Presbyteri qui praesentes sunt manus suas juxta manum Episcopi super caput ejus tenent Concil 4. Carthag Can. 3. Solus Episcopus qui eum benedicit manum super caput illius ponat ibid. Can. 4. Bin. T. 1. p. 588. and from that Council it hath been taken into the Rubrick of the Roman Pontifical (m) Pontif. Roman p. 36. postea in Ord. Presbyt vid. Morin de Ord. Latin p. 269. and ours as well as other Reformed Churches (n) Liturg Belgic pag. 261. Formul Lutheran Lips 1624. but I do not think the import of it to be any more than to do some greater Honour to the higher Order of Priests and so to distinguish it from that of a Deacon unless it be in token of the College of Presbyters consenting to the Bishops ordaining one into their Body for of old they were his Council and the Bishop was not to ordain any without their advice (o) Episcopus absque Concilio Presbyterorum Clericos non ordinet Excerp Egbert Can. 44. An. 750. Spelm. T. 1. p. 263. So that the Presbyters laying on of Hands only and always with a Bishop cannot imply their having any direct power in Ordination but only their agreeing to the election testified by their publick joyning in this Act of their Solemn Admission But a Priest being a very Honourable Order in the Church of Christ it is very fit the Bishop should advise with his Clergy of that Degree concerning the Qualifications of those who offer themselves for this Sacred Order and it may be of good use that all the Priests present being fully satisfied as to every particular mans endowments may the more heartily joyn with the Bishop in praying to God to give them grace suitable to this undertaking § 2. Rubr. Humbly kneeling before him This Posture of receiving Holy Orders kneeling was so well known and so constantly practised in the Pure Ages of the Primitive Church that when Gregory Nazianzen's Father being then but a Youth was sent to be publickly Catechized by Leontius Bishop of
Caesarea in Cappadocia he kneeled all the time which the whole Congregation interpreted as an Omen he would become a Priest afterwards because that was the Posture of a Candidate for Orders not of a Catechumen (p) Greg. Naz. Orat. 19. de Patre suo Vide item Baron Anno 325. n. 30. p. 284. Now a Rite so well known then could be of little less than Apostolical original The Author of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy mentions it and notes that a Deacon kneeled but upon one Knee a Priest on both before the Altar while the Bishop laid his Hand on his Head (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionys Eccl. Hier. c. 5. which is also enjoyned in the Greek Rubrick (r) Eucholog Graec. pag. 256. pag. 297. But we according to the Custom of the Western Church require Deacons as well as Priests to kneel humbly upon both knees (s) Pontifical Roman p. 32. and the Lutheran Form requires them to kneel before the Altar as soon as the Questions are proposed to them (t) Ad ordinandos procumbentes coram Altari Creditisne Fidem c. Form Luth. Lips 1624. The reasons for which ancient usage are principally two First In respect to the Bishop who in this Sacred Action represents our Lord Jesus himself and executes a Power delegated to him from his and our Great Master and this Posture of Adoration is principally due to him only it is paid to the Embassador for the King of Heavens sake Secondly We must observe that though the Bishop pronounces the Words yet Christ gives the Grace and confers the Gifts which therefore the Candidate must receive with the profoundest humility and no Posture so fit as that of Prayer for he must all the time humbly and earnestly beg of Jesus to confirm the Words of his Servant the Bishop and that he would give all those good Qualities to him which are requisite for a just and conscientious discharge of this Office We put up our Petitions to Mortal Princes upon our Knees and whoever is advanced to Secular Dignity receives his Investiture from the Royal Hands kneeling how much more reasonable is it we should kneel to the King of Heaven when He is about to endue us with his Grace and invest us with an Office in his Courts §. 3. The Solemn Words Take thou Authority to execute the Office of a Deacon in the Church of God committed to thee in the Name c. There are generally certain Forms used in the admissions to all Offices Civil and Military and so it ought to be in these that are Ecclesiastical But because there are no Forms prescribed in Scripture every Church hath taken the liberty to compose its own Formularies It would suffice saith Pope Innocent if the Ordainer only said be thou a Priest or a Deacon but now Forms are made by the Church they must be used (u) Innocent de Sacram. non iterandis That of the Roman Church indeed is a very odd Form (w) Accipe Spiritum Sanctum ad robur ad resistendum Diabolo c. Pont. Rom. p. 36. and belongs no more to a Deacon than to any other Christian for they pretend to give him the Holy Spirit to enable him to resist the Devil and his Temptations The Form of the Greek Church is much better where because of that ancient error of those who did attribute the efficacy of Sacramentals to the vertue of him that Ministers them as the Ancients note (x) 1 Cor. iii. 4. Vide D. Chrys Hom 50. in Matth. Aug. Tract 6. in Jonah The Bishop humbly ascribes the whole Act to God and says The Divine Grace which always heals that which is weak and fills up that which is defective promotes N. to be a Deacon (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 N. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chol p. 250. And to the same effect they speak in the Ordaining of a Priest As to our Form it is owing to our Reformation and is as it ought to be a clear explication of the Ceremony of Laying on of Hands which signifies as was noted collation of Power and delegating Authority and therefore the Bishop says Take thou Authority c. It seems by St. Ambrose there were in his time some mystical words used at Imposition of Hands which were believed to convey authority (z) Manus vero impositiones verba sunt mystica quibus confirmatur ad hoc opus electus accipiens Authoritatem Ambr. in 1 Tim. 4. And here the Bishop in whom the Supream Power is lodged grants Authority to the Candidate to execute the Office of a Deacon which is his Commission and lawful Call giving him a right to perform all the Duties annexed to that Order Yet according to the example of the Eastern Church the Bishop declares he doth not this purely of himself but by a Power granted him from God and therefore he adds In the Name of the Father of the Son c. to intimate that the Holy and ever Blessed Trinity doth confer this Order on him We are commanded by St. Paul to do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus (a) Coloss iii. 17. Quicquid agis in nomine Dei agas R. D. Kimch in Psal 1. ver 2. from whence the Christians generally begin all their Solemn Instruments with this Form In Nomine Domini and sometimes the whole Trinity is expressed especially in Religious Ministrations such as Absolution Marriage and Holy Orders where each Person of the Trinity concurs the Father by his Providence guides the Choice the Son by his Supream Authority over the Church grants the Power the Holy Ghost by his Gifts and Graces qualifies and fits the Person now chosen One of the Greek Ritualists makes this a calling the whole Trinity to witness this Present Act (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sym. Thessai de Sacr. but I take the former to be the true sence because to do a thing in the Name of God c. is to do it as his Representative and by his Authority and so the Person is promoted to be a Deacon Ministerially by the Bishop but Originally and Principally by God himself from whom he receives this Honour humbly kneeling on his Knees and he should remember that to him he must one day give an account how he hath performed his Duty which cannot but strike his Mind with reverence and holy fear while these Solemn Words are repeated §. 4. Rubr. Delivering the New Testament Take thou Authority to read the Gospel in the Church of God and to Preach c. This is the second significant Rite used in our Ordination concerning which we shall observe That the Deacons in the Christian Church are made after the pattern of those Ministers among the Jews whose Office was to keep the Book of the Law and upon occasion to read it publickly in their Synagogues in whose stead our Saviour himself did once Minister (c) Luke vi 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan Minister stat recitat de Lege Lib. Massech Suc. So that the place was honourable though inferiour to that of the Ruler of the Synagogue In like manner the Deacons proper Office was to read the Holy Scripture in the Christian Assemblies as divers of the Ancients have particularly noted (d) Evangelium Christi quasi Diaconus lectitabor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. constit l. 2. c. 57. and Sozomen recites it as a Custom peculiar to Alexandria that only the Arch-Deacon read the Gospel there whereas the ordinary Deacons read it elsewhere (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozom Hist l. 7. cap. 19. At Carthage where they had a peculiar order of Lectors the Bible was delivered not to the Deacons but to the Reader with these words Take this Book and be thou a Reader of God's word and if thou art faithful and useful in this Office thou shalt have a part with them who have ministred the word of God (f) Concil 4. Carthag can 8. Bin. Tom. 1. pag. 588. But we having laid aside this Office properly deliver it to the Deacon wherein we are conformable to the ancient Churches In the Syrian Formularies it is peculiar that the Bishop delivers to every one of the Deacons a Book of the Epistles and to the Priests a Book of the Gospels g (h) Ordinat Syror. ap Morin p. 451. p. 458. The words spoken at the delivery of the Holy Book have been varied in the Western Church For in one of their ancient Ordinals supposed to be 800 years old and taken out of a Saxon or English Book The Bishop said unto the Deacon Take this volume of the Gospel read and understand it and do thou both deliver it to others and fulfil it in thy Works (h) Accipe istud volumen Evangelij lege intellige aliis trade tu opere ad imple Form ver ap Morin de Ord. Lat. p. 286. But in the modern Roman Church the Bishop absurdly says Take thou power to read the Gospel in the Church of God as well for the living as for the dead in the name of God Amen (i) Accipe potestatem legendi Evangelium in Ecclesia Dei tam pro vivis quam pro defunctis in nomine Domini Amen Pontif Rom. p. 17. But that we may be assured this Botch was added in the blind Ages Morinus (k) Post haec verba Ecclesia Dei in inferiori margine Scriptura recenti atramento planè alio Tam pro vivis quam pro defunctiis c. Morin de ord Latin p. 337. hath discovered these words as well for the living as the dead were put into the Margin of an Ordinal of near 600 years old in a modern hand and later Ink So that this corruption hath been designed since their false Doctrine of Purgatory was set up however 't is impossible to reconcile the words either to Truth or good Sence The Gospel may profit the living who can hear it but the dead cannot exercise that Sense and so can have no benefit by anothers reading thereof The Spirit therefore calls upon living Men and saith We must hear God's Voice to day (l) Hebr. iii. 17. And the Orthodox Fathers teach us there is no more hopes of finding any comfort in the next World for them who are not cleansed from their Sins in this (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Gen. Hom. 5. T. 1. p. 26. Vid. Aug. de temp Ser. 66. fol. 159. If Men die without Faith and Repentance neither Prayers nor Reading can work these Graces in them Unless they fansie as some Charmers of old did That there is a Magical power in the words of Holy Scripture that can operate upon disembodied Spirits which is a wickedness severely condemned especially in Clergy-men by an ancient Council (n) Concil Laod. can 36. Balsam Zon ibid. Bev. Tom. 1. p. 469. Not. T. 2. p. 196. and is one sort of conjuration which by abusing God's word borders upon Blasphemy (o) Vid. Camerar Oper. subseciv Tom. 3. cap. 30. pag. 104. So that this Addition makes the Roman Form more like the creation of a Necromancer than a Christian Deacon and therefore our Reformers justly cast out this late corruption and restored the Form to its ancient Purity Giving our Deacon a Power and Right to Read the Scripture which being the Word and Will of God and the Means of our Salvation should be Read plainly and deliberately with affectionate Devotion and fervent Charity to the living because this is their only day of Grace and unless it work upon them now while it is called to day they shall never see or hear these Holy Books more till they be opened to their Condemnation at the last Judgment As to the Deacons duty in Reading and Preaching also by License from the Bishop I have spoken before and shall only add this caution That it is not safe for young Preachers to meddle with nice Points and high Speculations in their Sermons plain truths and practical matters being easier and safer for them to Preach and far more profitable for their People to hear or in the words of Seneca (p) Senec. de benef l. 7. cap. 1. There are no things hard to be found out but only such as afford no other advantage to the finder but that he hath found them whatever will make us better and happier lies open and is near at hand CHAP. V. Of the Consequence after Ordination §. 1. OF the Gospel In our usual Service the Epistle and Gospel stand together but in this Office they are separated and the Ordination it self intervenes and did so of old for in an Ordinal writ above 800 years ago we have this Rubrick That the greater Orders shall be conferred before the Gospel the lesser after the Communion (q) Majores gradus ante Evangelium minores vero post Communionem dantur Vid. Morin de ordin Latin par 2. p. 270. Now the Deacon is the first of the greater Orders and the Reason of setting the Gospel immediately after his Ordination was that the new ordained Person might immediately exercise his Authority and give proof of his fitness for this part of his Office in solemnly reading the Gospel for by our Church as well as the Roman it is ordered That one of them appointed by the Bishop shall read the Gospel (r) See our Rubrick here Aliquis de noviter ordinatis dalmaticâ indutus Evangelium dicit Pontif. Rom. p. 39. The Portions chosen for this occasion have been divers One of the ancient Gallican Forms had Luk. ix from ver 57 to ver 62 (s) Liturg. Gallican ap Mabillon l. 2. p. 170. which is not so proper by much as this Gospel out of St. Luke xii from to ver 35. to ver 38. appointed by our Reformers under King Edw. the sixth (t) Vid. Sparrow's Coll. p.
advanced to greater Commands and larger Rewards that the other legionary Soldiers may with all labour and zeal strive to become capable of those high Employments (x) Gradatim promoti sunt ad Officia ea quibus magnae utilitates Honores constitutae sunt ut caeteri Milites omni labore ac devotione contenderent ad tanta praemta pâ—rvenire Veget. de re mil. lib. 2. cap. 8. Which was also Julius Caesar's practice to take the Centurions who had behaved themselves valiantly and advance them into higher stations as a just reward of their Courage and Conduct (y) Caesar de Bell. Galic lib. 6. pag. 262. The like care was also taken by the Emperor Justinian in bestowing Civil Offices for he saith We always provide to promote every one according to his diligence and deserts to better place and greater dignities (z) Semper providimus unumquemque secundum labores suos ad meliores gradus majores dignitates producere L. 2. cap. de Praef. praet Afric And so it ought to be in the Church the best Lay-men should be made Deacons and the best Deacons should be advanced by Degrees to be Priests and Bishops for none will adorn those higher Orders but such as have behaved themselves well in the Lower for he that is faithful in little will be faithful also in much (a) Luk. xvi 10. Thus we have considered these particulars as they are motives to the Bishop and all the Congregation to make these requests with great devotion for the newly Ordained Persons because if they can prevail with God to give them such Grace they will prove a credit to their Office a blessing and an honour to the Church But the Deacon himself should consider these Petitions so as to excite him to endeavour vigorously to be such as they pray he may be humble and modest in his Carriage and Temper constant and diligent in his Ministrations regular and strictly Canonical in his Life for here are all sorts of motives laid before him to encourage his resolutions and endeavours herein the Spiritual Motives are the Peace of his own Conscience the Confirming of his Hope and Faith in Christ and the securing his perseverance as well as his eternal reward the Temporal Motives are his being an Ornament to the Church an Honour to his Order while he remains of it and his deserving justly to be promoted in time to the highest Office in Christ's Church and St. Paul hath taught us if we desire the Office of a Bishop only as a greater opportunity to do more good it is very lawful To rise by these means is commendable and it is an innocent yea a laudable ambition to act well in this inferiour Station that we may be called to a higher Finally These requests are of so great importance to the Persons Ordained to the People among whom they are to Officiate and to the whole Church that they are asked by the most powerful of all intercessions through Jesus Christ c. Yea and it is so likely that he who hath called them to this Office will qualifie them for it that as if these Petitions were heard already and sure of acceptance if the Persons prayed for put no bar that we give thanks before hand and conclude the Collect with this Doxology To whom be glory c. Amen §. 5. The Last Prayers and Rubrick The Office is closed with a Prayer which is very proper for such Acts as these that are begun continued and ended in God's Name and with that Benediction which belongs to the Communion that is always celebrated at Ordinations but these are both explained before in their proper places So that I shall only observe the last Rubrick which admonishes the Deacons to continue a whole year in this Order and gives this reason for it that they may be perfect and expert in Ecclesiastical Administrations before they become Priests which reason is so evident and convincing that all Churches have founded such a like Order upon it for the Custom hath every where been to keep the Deacons for some time in that Office before they go higher Hence the Canons here (b) Can. 32. Eccles Angl. and elsewhere strictly forbid the ordaining any one both Priest and Deacon in one day (c) Concil Rom. II. sub Sylvestr An. 324. Bin. Tom. 1. p. 255. Concil Trid. Sess 23. Can. 13. ib. p. 390. and a great Council declares that every Clergy-man must stay the time appointed by Law in each Order before he be advanced higher (d) Concil 8 Constantin Can. 17. Bev. T. 1. p. 358. Yet in several Ages of the Church the time between these Orders hath been various Of old it was much longer for Epiphanius Bishop of Pavia was eight years a Deacon before he was made Priest (e) In Diaconatu à vigesimo incipiens octo annos explevit Ennod. vita Epiph and we read of others who continued fifteen years in this Order (f) Gregor Turon l. 4. c. 6. p. 128. An Ancient Roman Council is said to enjoyn a Deacon to stay five years and a Priest three before they be removed higher (g) Concil Rom. II. sub Syvestr ut supr c Later Councils agree with us and fix the time to one year (h) Concil Trid. Sess 23. Can. 14. Bin. T. 4. p. 390. Concil Aquil. An. 1596. ibid. p. 580. But so as both they and we leave it to the Bishops prudence who upon reasonable causes that is the extraordinary merit of the Person the evident profit of the Church or some urgent necessity may Ordain some Men sooner Though ordinarily it is much better to make them stay the year of probation in this first Order and sometimes 't is an argument of Mens pride and too much forwardness to offer themselves sooner Besides this keeps up that Apostolical and Primitive Distinction of the three Orders which by no means ought to be broken or confounded and perhaps it might not be amiss if such as are Ordained Deacons only to read and do inferiour Offices in Cathedrals or large Parishes were always kept in that Degree not only to make the difference of Orders more visible and to make ours more conformable to the Primitive Church but to prevent that scandal which some of these Men of ordinary Parts and mean Education have frequently brought on the Venerable Order of Priesthood To conclude the Office of a Deacon is by no means contemptible but very honourable in it self and those who are of this Order must endeavour so to live as to raise its reputation and then they may be very serviceable to the Church even in that Station which is a good step towards an higher Degree whereof I am next to treat A DISCOURSE ON THE OFFICE For making PRIESTS Where it differs from the former A Preface concerning the Dignity of this Order §. 1. THE Bishops since the Apostles deaths being the highest Officers in the Church of Christ is
indecently nor to suspend him without the approbation of his Chapter (b) Vel inhonestè tractare aut sine judicio capituli suspendere Alex. 3. in Decret l. 5. Tit. 31. c. 1. And some Parish Priests then had power to suspend or interdict their inferior Clerks and Lay-Parishioners which Sentence if it were just the Bishop was to confirm and could not relax it but by the consent of the Priest that laid it on s (b) Dâ—cretal L. 1. T. 31. de offic jud ordin 1. 3. I know in later times many of the Privileges belonging to the second Order have been laid aside whether to repress the ambition of the Presbyters who unjustly aimed at an equality or out of an affectation of singularity in some of the superior Degrees I will not determine It is sufficient to my purpose to shew the honour of Priesthood which in the best Ages was thought worthy to act joyntly with Bishops in most Ecclesiastical concerns and to have the next degree of Reverence and Authority to them yet still so as to be inferior and subordinate to their Bishop And I look upon it to be equally pernicious to the Church for Presbyters to aspire to a parity with Bishops or for these to despise the others as unworthy to advise or assist them For the former destroys and the latter very much impairs the good Government of the Church The Bishops cannot exercise that Authority which Christ and his Apostles left them if Presbyters be their equals this will make as St. Hierom speaks as many Schisms as Priests And they cannot have that useful assistance toward the execution of their Episcopal Function which was designed them when they exclude so many learned and able Men as this next Order affords from their Counsels and and Administrations wherefore the Orders must be distinct to avoid confusion but provided the Subordination be kept up due respect should be shewn to exclude Arbitrary Dominion And this temper is prescribed by that often quoted Council of Carthage which decrees That the Bishop shall sit higher in the Assembly of Presbyters in the Church But within the House he shall consider them as his Colleagues (c) Ut Episcopus in Ecclesiâ in confessu Presbyterorum sublimior sedeat intravero domum collegam Presbyterorum se esse cognoscat Conc. Carth. 4. can 35. Bin. T. 1. p. 589. So that antiquity required of Presbyters to express all imaginable Reverence in publick to their Bishop and remember his Superiority and of Bishops to shew them in private all possible respect and treat them with great Civility And I could instance in some of our greatest Bishops of this and the last Age who by calling some of the most learned grave and experienced of their Clergy to consult with in private about their weightiest Affairs have done themselves great Service and gained a great Reputation from all as well as a greater respect from their whole Clergy thereby To conclude Humility is the Duty the Ornament and Security of both Orders and that Grace alone will set all right on both sides and bring Glory to God and benefit to the Church CHAP. I. Of the Epistle §. 1. THere is nothing to be remarked on this Office but where it differs from that for making Deacons and the first material difference lies in the proper Portions of Scripture appointed for the Epistle and Gospel at the Ordination of a Priest which have been various in divers Churches The ancient Gallican Offices appoint for the Epistle Titus I. ver 1. to ver 7. (u) Mabil Litur Gal. l. 2. p. 171. Or as an old Lectionary hath it to ver 10. (w) Lectionar in Append ad Capitul Franc. per Baluz Tom. 2. p. 1350. But since that more properly belongs to the Order of Bishops our Reformers chose Ephes iv ver 7 to ver 13. which is also read in the Ordination of a Priest by the Syrian Maronites (x) Morin in Ordinat Syror. p. 408. and it is very proper for the occasion because the Apostle here treats of the diversity of Gifts and Offices in the Church and particularly of their Author variety and use which we proceed in our usual method to illustrate The Analysis of the Epistle Ephes iv 7 13. This Epistle concerns the variety of Ecclesiastical Gifts shewing 1st The universality and measure of them Ver. 7. 2ly The Author of them and the time of giving Ver. 8 9 10. 3ly The various kinds of them different Offices receiving them 1. Apostles Ver. 11. 2. Prophets Ver. 11. 3. Evangelists Ver. 11. 4. Pastors Teachers Ver. 11. 4ly The end of giving them and their duration 1. The Churches good in general Ver. 12. 2. The perfecting every Christian in particular Ver. 13. The Paraphrase of this Epistle §. 2. Ephes 4. ver 7. Having exhorted you to unity as Members of the same Body I fear lest the different kinds and measures of Gifts which you behold in the several degrees of Ministers may break this Union and move some to Pride others to envy and so make dissention among you Wherefore I will give you a clear account of this diversity which doth not make you divers Bodies but distinguishes one Body into several Members (y) Non multa sunt corpora per varietatem gratiarum sed membra diversa Hieron in loc All Christians have some gifts but the sort and degree depends on the free-will of the giver (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thophil in loc For unto every one of us especially such as are in the ministries of the Church is given some kind of Grace some share of these Gifts but the proportion is according to the measure of the gift of Christ who being the Donor and there being no merit in the Receivers ought to be at liberty to give more or less as seems fit to him with respect to the Persons station or capacity (a) Non quod mensura Christi diversa sit sed tantum gratiae ejus infunditur quantum valemus haurire Hieron in Jovin l. 2. T. 2. p. 110. So that if you contend about this you must quarrel with the Bestower not the Receivers of these Gifts Ver. 8. Now that Christ is the Distributer of these Gifts may be proved by a Prophecy of David (b) Psal lxviii 18. for he foresaw our Saviours Resurrection and Ascension long before they came to pass wherefore he saith by the Spirit as Princes on the day of their Triumph are wont to scatter large Donatives among their People so Christ when he ascended up on high and returned back to Heaven like a Victorious General he led in Chains Sathan and Death which had brought mankind into captivity these being now by him taken Captive He received as a Reward from his Father a power to distribute variety of the Holy Spirits operations and gave these different Gifts which he had so received (c) Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signif Tam
Matth. vii 23. Drus Nor are they ungrateful for my Affection and Care for I first take notice of and love my Flock (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. And then I am known respected and beloved of mine own Sheep who renounce and despise all other Shepherds in comparison of me Ver. 15. This People of Israel are my Fathers peculiar Flock (l) Psal c. 3. and therefore As the Father knoweth me and my great affection for them he hath set me over them even so full well know I the Father and his tender regard for them (m) Cognoscere pro diligere i. e. ea charitate qua pro ovibus morior quantum Patrem diligo ostendo Greg. hom 14. It is to please him that I now take such pains with them such care of them And I am ready upon the same account to lay down my Life for the salvation of the Jews who are the Sheep of my Heavenly Father's Pasture Ver. 16. But the merit of that Death of mine shall reach further than the Jewish Nation my Father calls them his Flock And other Sheep I have resolved thereby to redeem which are not as yet gathered in and become Members of this Fold (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. even the poor Gentiles who are at present under Sathan's power them also I must bring out of that lost and deplorable condition wherein they lie I will call them by Preaching and they shall hear my Voice so as to be converted and live After which I will take away that odious distinction between Jews and Gentiles (o) Coloss iii. 11. and there shall be but only one Fold even the Christian Church and one Shepherd that is my self who will be the Supream Head and Governor thereof CHAP. III. Of the Exhortation §. 1. THe next observable difference is the peculiar admonition which the Bishop gives to all that enter into Priests Orders that before they take this weighty Charge upon them they may be made duly sensible both of the Dignity and the Duties of their Office which are so necessary to be considered just now that other Churches have such a discourse (p) Vid. Pontif. Roman p. 41. in Ord. Presb. though in some it be less properly deferred till after Ordination (q) Alia formul p. 55. Et Copthar Ordin ap Morin p. 507. item Lutheran formul Lips 1624. But this is the fittest place for these Considerations and ours the best the fullest and most accurate Form now extant as will appear by the following Analysis and Discourse The Analysis of this Exhortation The Exhortation contains Three Principal Parts 1st An Introduction referring to what they have heard You have heard Brethren as well in c. 2ly The particular Advice now given them viz. 1. To consider very seriously before hand 1. The Dignity of their Office We exhort you in the name of c. 2. The weight of their charge on the account of 1. The variety of their duty to teach and to premonish c. 2. The greatness of their trust Have always therefore printed c. 3. The danger of their neglect And if it shall happen the same Church c. 2. To act afterward with great 1. Diligence to promote the good of their People And see that you never cease your labour c. 2. Gratitude to God who hath called them to this Office as well that ye may shew your selves c. 3. Caution toward Men least they give any Offence as also to beware that neither you your selves c. 3. To use the most proper means for enabling them to do their Duty 1. Prayer for the aid of the Spirit of God Therefore ye ought and have need to pray c. 2. Studying the Books of Holy Scripture And seeing that you cannot by any other c. 3. Leading a good Life and in framing the manners c. 4. Avoiding secular Cares And for this self same cause c. 3ly A Conclusion of the whole 1. Expressing the Bishop's hope that they have 1. well considered of their undertaking We have good hope that you have well c. 2. Firmly resolved both 1. To do those Duties and that you have clearly determined c. 2. To use these means and that you will continually pray c. 2. Requiring from them a solemn Promise as to all the particulars And now that this present Congregation 〈◊〉 A Discourse upon the Exhortation §. 2. This necessary pious and comprehensive admonition is very properly introduced by putting the Candidates in mind as well of that which was said to them when they were privately examined for it supposes that the Arch-deacons gave them a Charge then as of that which hath been just now read to them out of the Gospel and Epistle concerning the Dignity and Importance of this Office whereunto they are called Yet lest they should forget the private instructions formerly given them or not readily infer these things from the portions of Scripture now read The Bishop doth once more exhort them in the name of Jesus Christ his and their Great Master to remember how High their Station and how Weighty their Charge is And first he declares the Dignity of their Office by those various Titles given to those invested with it in Holy Scripture and then shews the various Duties which every one of these Names imports The Titles are Messengers Watchmen and Stewards of the Lord The Duties as Messengers to teach as Watchmen to forewarn or premonish and as Stewards to feed and provide for the Lord's Family First The Prophets in the Old Testament and the Priests are stiled the Messengers of the Lord of Hosts (r) Isai xliv 26. Hag. i. 13. Mal. ii 7. See Mark i. 2. And to shew they are no ordinary Messengers they are in the New Testament called The Apostles of the Churches i. e. sent by Christ to the Churches with his Authority to teach and instruct them (s) Philip. ii 25. 2 Cor. viii 23. Ita Chrys explic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in loc Philip. and therefore they are also called the glory of Christ that is such as represent his Person and shew the glory of their Mighty Lord even as Embassadors do wear the Character and set out the Splendor of the Princes who send them and they are expresly named Embassadors for Christ (t) 2 Cor. v. 20. To whom all Nations did ever pay the greatest respect even as to their Masters (u) Oratorem audire oportere jus gentium est Donat. ad Prolog Hecyr. Sancti habentur legati Pompon L. Si quis D. de legat Sanctum populis per saecula nomen Papin Stat. So that they have the highest of all Offices in God's House the most honourable of all Employments being sent to represent Christ Jesus and to declare his Will as his immediate Embassadors and his constant Envoys resident among us here upon Earth to transact his Affairs among the Sons
Tradition or New Revelations to make us wise to Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (z) 2 Tim. iii. 15. that there is enough written in it to make us capable of Eternal Life through believing (a) Joh. xx 30 31. and that being received with meekness and a due submission to its Doctrines and Precepts it is able to save our Souls (b) James i. 21. Finally That it is so perfect a Rule That nothing can be added to it or taken from it (c) Deut. iv 2. Rev. xxii 18. Wherefore unless we can be so impious to imagine that the God of Truth designed to deceive us we must give credit to his Character of Holy Scripture and believe it contains all necessary Truths And this was the constant opinion of the Catholick Church in all Ages as I have proved elsewhere I will only note here that the Fathers declared Nothing was fundamental in Religion which was not attested by God's word (d) Nullum fundamentum aut firmitatem possunt habere quae nullis divinarum vocum fulciuntur oraculis Lact. l. 7. c. 2. and that a compleat Systeme of Divine Mysteries was only to be drawn from this Fountain (e) Universa divinarum rerum Mysteria non nisi ex ipsis fontibus hauriri queant Sulp. Sever. Hist Sacr. l. 1. Yea this of old was the Doctrine of the Roman Church for Pope Celestine's Letter to Nestorius affirms That he deserves an Anathema who adds to or takes from that Faith which being fully and plainly delivered by the Apostles needs no encrease and must have no diminution from us (f) Celestin Epist in Concil Ephes Bin. Tom. 1. Par. 2. p. 136. but this was before they had brought in so many New Doctrines and Practices grounded on Tradition only that they were forced to decree at Trent That Traditions were to be received with the same pious Affection and Veneration that they received the Scriptures (g) Omnes Libres tam V. quam N. Testamenti nec non traditiones pari pietatis affectu ac reverentia suscipit c. Concil Trid. Sess 4. Decr. 1. But in the Primitive Ages nothing but the Word of God was allowed to decide controversies of Faith and therefore the Holy Bible alone was placed on a Throne in Christian Councils as the only Judge in all such cases (h) Vid. Concil Aquil. ap Bin. T. 1. Par. 1. p. 545. Concil Ephes ibid. Par. 2. p. 214. Wherefore 't is very necessary every Priest should declare his belief of the perfection of Scripture and Secondly That he should promise to teach no Doctrines but what may be proved by it For this is the greatest security of his being Orthodox which the Church can have since no man can be an Heretick who takes his Faith from the plain Words of Scripture and proves it by necessary Consequences drawn from thence And it is of such importance to the Church that those She admits for Guides to others be not in a wrong way themselves that all the Reformed Churches ask the same Question of their Candidates The Lutherans say Do you believe the Faith which the whole Christian Church believes c. And do you condemn all Errors and Heresies that are condemned by Scripture and by the genuine Christian Councils (i) Creditisne fidem quam Universa Christiana Ecclesia credit c. Damnatis omnes errores haereses per S. Scripturam Christiana probata Concilia damnatas Form Luth. Ord. Lips 1624. item Form Belg. Eccl. p. 261. Scotch Psalter J. Knox p. 19. The Belgick and Scottish Churches ask the like Questions upon the same occasion For this is sufficient evidence that they who answer this Question sincerely do not hold nor will they teach any Heresie whatsoever but more particularly this excludes all Papists and Enthusiasts from Holy Orders because the former pretend Traditions and the latter New Revelations for the proof of their False Doctrines and though they seem very different yet both agree in denying the perfection of Holy Scripture and both do this with the same design viz. that they may Coin new Articles of Faith as often as they please which false Principles and dangerous Design would make our Faith changeable and uncertain and nothing fixes our fundamentals in Religion like binding all Priests to a written and unalterable Rule It is thought an excellent means to preserve Mens civil Rights to bind the Judges to decide all Causes according to the Written Laws of the Kingdom (k) Ut Judices secundum Scriptam Legem judicent non secundum Arbitrium suum Capitul Reg. Franc. Tom. 1. p. 370. And it is equally prudent and more necessary to use this Caution in Divine Truths of which the Bible is the only Collection and that Standard from which no private Man may vary he may hold some pious Opinions and urge some innocent Practices from Reason and Antiquity but these must not be pressed as necessary to Salvation for nothing is so but what is contained in or can be proved by the Holy Scripture and so long as we keep close to that Rule no dangerous Heresie nor notorious Corruption can come in §. 2. Quest 3. Will you then give your faithful diligence c. This Question shews the matter and manner of their Duty in Divine Administrations A Minister is often compared to a Shepherd whose Office it is to feed his Flock in Green Pastures and to lead them forth besides the Waters of Comfort and with his Shepherds Staff to drive in such as wander into the Valleys of Death and Destruction (l) Psal xxiii 2 4. So our Spiritual Pastor is to feed and nourish his People that are regular by the Word and Sacraments those that are irregular he is to fetch back to the Fold by Holy Discipline privately labouring to convince them of their Errors and convert them from their Sins and if that be not sufficient giving them up to the censures of the Church for their Reformation and Amendment This is the matter of their Duty As to the manner they are to administer Doctrine Sacraments and Discipline so as the Lord hath commanded in his word and so as the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm do appoint which are not blessed be God two different ways here in this pure Church because we have declared that we have no power to make any Laws in these matters contrary to God's word (m) Non licet Ecclesiae quicquam constituere quod verbo Dei scripto adversetur Reformat Leg. Eccles c. 11. p. 5. The Scripture teaches the manner of our Ministrations as to the main and our Offices and Canons for Discipline are drawn up by those Divine Directions the rest is supplied out of Primitive Antiquity as to Ceremonies and things not Essential and both are finally confirmed by our Laws Thus we have accurately prescribed Forms for all our Ministrations from which if any private Minister might vary and follow his
no words can be fitter than those spoken on the same occasion by our Saviour who had been sent by his Father after the Holy Ghost descended on him to Preach the Gospel which he had hitherto done by himself but being now to leave the Earth hereby he delegates this Work to his Apostles and sends them with the like Qualifications and Authority as he was sent by his Father Now as Elisha being to succeed Elijah in his Office was to have a share of his Spirit (z) 2 Kings ii 9. even so Christ gave to the Apostles his Successors the Holy Ghost that is the ordinary assistance thereof so far as was necessary in order to reconcile Sinners to God by preaching the Gospel For we must distinguish this first Mission for the ordinary Office of Pastors which was always to continue in the Church from that extraordinary Mission and Miraculous giving of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost after his Ascension That made them Apostles and gave them an extraordinary Authority necessary for the first planting of the Gospel which Office was to cease But these Gifts of the Spirit which our Lord gave them when he breathed on them were such as were necessary for them and all their Successors to the end of the World for so long in this manner our Lord hath promised to be with such as are called to be Ministers So that these Words Receive the Holy Ghost c. are properly used by us on the ordinary Mission of Pastors and so it is declared to be only so far as is necessary for the Office and Work of a Priest not to work Miracles or speak with other Tongues but in order to execute the several parts of the Pastoral Office viz. 1st For the remitting and retaining Sins 2ly For the dispensing of the Word and Sacraments As to the first we must observe that the Fathers generally explain this communication of the Spirit to be a granting to the Pastor the power of absolving such as are penitent and of denying absolution to the impenitent (a) Qui Spiritum Sanctum accepit solvendi peccata potestatem ligandi accepit D. Ambros de Poenit. l. 1. c. 2. Spirit Sancti gratiam acceperunt qua peccata dimitterent c. Hieron Hebid ep 150. T. 3. p. 233. Dicit Accipite subjicit Si cui c. hoc est Spiritus dimittit non vos Aug. Hom. 23. p. 103. and so our Lord himself expounds it for he adds to his giving them the Holy Ghost Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted c. Now this power of Absolution is one of the ordinary parts of the Sacerdotal Office as I have shewed before (b) See Compan to the Temple Part 1. §. 4. p. 43 c. And therefore when Christ made his Disciples Pastors he gave them the Holy Ghost to this purpose and a power to communicate it for the fame end to such as they did ordain to succeed them (c) Acts ix 17. 1 Tim. iv 14. 2 Tim. i. 6. because without this Power they could not rightly perform their Ministry We see that repentance and remission of Sins were always the main subjects of our Saviours and his Apostles Preaching (d) Mat. iv 17. Luk. xxiv 46. Act. ii 38. x. 43. xxvi 18. Now when hereby some were brought to unfeigned Repentance and others remained obstinate it was absolutely necessary the Pastors should have Authority to declare that the Penitents should be absolved by God to pray to him to pardon them yea and to comfort them further by pronouncing their Remission in God's Name and on the contrary to declare the Obdurate bound by the guilt of their Sins and liable to God's wrath yea to pronounce them Excommunicate out of the Church wherein Remission of Sins alone is to be had These Keys St. Ambrose saith Every Priest as well as Peter doth receive (e) Claves illas Regni Caelorum quas in B. Petro cuncti suscepimus Sacerdotes Ambr. de dig Sacerd. c. 1. and upon this Principle the whole Conduct of keeping Men under censures for longer or shorter time according to the degree of their penitence was committed to Priests by advice of their Bishops (f) Con. Ancyran Can. 2. 5. Bev. T. 1. p. 376 379. Item Theodor. poenit c. 43. p. 35. ibid. observ p. 113. by all the Primitive Canons and under the same Regulation they enjoy this Power at this day Now if any think it too bold for a Bishop to use the words of Christ I reply he pronounces them as God's Embassador as the Form it self declares In the Name of the Father Son c. he acts only Ministerially God gives the Spirit by the imposition of his hands with the Presbytery (g) Deus dat Spiritum Sanctum non enim humanum hoc opus Sed qui invocatur à Sacerdote à Deo traditur in quo Dei munus ministerium Sacerdotis Ambr. de Sp. S. l. 1. c. 7. p. 223. it is God's Gift conveyed by his Deligate which is the way that he chooses to bestow it for he could have given St. Paul the Spirit immediately when he called him to be a Minister but thought fit to send Ananias to him as the Text expresses it that he might he filled with the Holy Ghost (h) Acts ix 17. We have already shewed that the various Offices in the Church are distributed by this Blessed Spirit and why should we not believe with St. Leo that he who imposes the duty will assist us in the Administration of it (i) Qui mihi est oneris Author ipse fiet Administrationis adjutor dabit virtutem qui contulit dignitatem Dict. P. Leonis mag We cannot execute this Office to which the Spirit of God hath called us unless we do receive the Holy Ghost so that we ought not to doubt but God will by this Rite and these Words give his Holy Spirit when so many joyn to ask it upon so great and necessary an occasion (k) St. Luke xi 13. especially if the Parties put no bar to it by their unworthiness or unpreparedness to receive it Finally Some will have this Form to be no more than Optative and say that Receive the Holy Ghost implies only Mayest thou Receive c. But I think there is no need to strain the words because the plain import of them is very proper for God's Representative in this case as hath been already proved But whether we interpret them Positively or as a Wish let the Pastor firmly believe that so much of the Holy Ghost and his Gifts are now imparted to him as are necessary for the discharge of that Office to which the Spirit hath called him so much as will qualifie him to judge so rightly concerning remitting and retaining Sins that God may ratifie his Sentence in Heaven forgiving those he declares Penitent and condemning such as he pronounces Impenitent and this will make
Spain were become Christians Baronius owns that long before the XII Council of Toledo viz. An. 681. those Princes had challenged a right to nominate their Bishops to a Synod who were to consecrate them (b) Baron Annal. in An. 681. num 60. And he observes that this method causing delaies by Reason Synods could not be so often convened as vacancies happened therefore that Council of Toledo made this Canon That it shall be lawful for the Bishop of Toledo the Metropolitan to consecrate such Bishops into vacant Sees as the King had chosen and he did approve as worthy (c) Quoscunque regalis Potestas elegerit jam dicti Episcopi judicio dignos esse probaverit c. Concil Tolet. xii can 6. Bin. Tom. 3. pag. 274. And in another Council there we have an instance of a regal Election for a Bishop named Sisebutus being there deprived for Treason the Council confirmed Foelix whom the King had before appointed for his Successor and he was then acknowledged the lawful Bishop of that See (d) Alio tamen principali Electione ibidem instituto Concil Tolet. XVI praefat ibid. p. 318. An. 693. Which Prerogative the succeding Kings of Spain enjoyed and used for many Ages So they did also in France as appears from Gregory of Tours who writ his History about the year 590. And he generally speaks of all Bishops as chosen by the Kings from the days of Clovis the first Christian King An. 490. until his own time out of whom many instances are collected to my hand (e) Vide Exempl Collect. per Bilson de perpet gub Eccles cap. 15. p. 352. c. And whereas some very unfit persons were sometimes advanced by the Court without the consent of the Metropolitan A Synod at Paris An. 559. decreed That such as were made Bishops by the King without the Metropolitans consent should not be received by the People (f) Concil 3. Paris Can. 8. Bin. Tom. 2. par 2. p. 247. But when by vertue of this Canon the Bishops degraded one so nominated and sent a Petition to the King to choose another he was so enraged that he used the Messenger very badly and took upon him to restore the ejected Bishop (g) Vide Gregor Turon lib. 4. cap. 26. p. 147. Bin. Tom. 2. par 2. p. 215. Now since all the Predecessors of Charles the great had exercised this Power while they were only Kings of France no doubt he did not lose it by being made Emperor as to his own Kingdom and if he had any grant of such a Power from Pope Adrian it must only be understood as a confirmation of those Rights in his new Conquests which the Eastern Emperors and other Princes before had there enjoyed and so I understand that Speech of Gregory the Sixth Circ A. 1046. recorded in one of our old Historians who on his Death-bed said Our Predecessor Adrian of famous Memory is commended for granting the investiture of Churches to Charles the Great so that a Bishop elect could not be consecrated till he was first invested by the Kings delivering to him a Ring and a Staff (h) Malmsbur de gest regum lib. 2. p. 47. b. 'T is certain this Emperor did nominate his Bishops Which was a point so well setled in the days of his grandchild Charles the Bald that the Bishops in a Synod say to him speaking of this matter Bishops are given us by God and regularly appointed by you (i) Episcopi à Deo dati à vobis i. e. Regibus regularitèr designati Synod ap Theod. Vill. cap. 2. An. 845. Capit. Tom. 2. pag. 9. So that for the King to appoint Bishops was then thought a regular way which also appears by the Testimony of Pope John the eighth An. 872. who saith The assent of the Emperor is to be expected in the promotion of Bishops (k) Johan 8. Ep. 34. ap Bin. Tom. 3. par 2. p. 13. and he calls him a lawful Bishop who was chosen by the Clergy and People and confirmed by the Emperor (l) Idem Ep. 70. ibid. p. 24. The same Pope desires Caroloman to make Gospert the Deacon Bishop of Vercelles (m) Idem Ep. 71. ibid. pag. 49. and he affirms in another Epistle that this Prince gave him that Church after the manner used by his Predecessors (n) More praecessorum suorum regum imperatorum Id. Epist 223. p. 69. 'T is needless to proceed lower where instances are without number especially since the Kings of France still claim this power though some of later Ages have allowed the Popes to confirm such as they had named to some of the greater Sees That which is most directly to our purpose is to shew the grounds on which our own Kings of England claim this Royal Prerogative to name their Bishops Which are first ancient usage for our eldest Historians speak of the Saxon Kings even from their first conversion as chosing and appointing Bishops So Bede tells us soon after Christianity was setled here that Ecbert and Oswy two Saxon Princes named Wighard to be Arch-bishop of Canterbury with the consent of the Holy Church of England (o) Bed Histor lib. 3. cap. 30. p. 248. lib. 4. cap. 1. p. 253. cir An. 666. And the History of S. Wilfrid alone is sufficient proof that the Election of the Clergy and People confirmed by the Pope was not able to make a Bishop without the Kings allowance (p) Malmsbur de gest Pontif. l. 3. in Wilfrid King Alfred named Denewolf to be made Bishop of Winchester (q) Idem ibid. p. 138. and he chose Asserius Bishop of Schireburn (r) Id. de gest regum lib. 2. cap. 4. p. 24. Robert was preferred to the Arch-bishoprick of Canterbury upon the nomination of King Edward the Confessor (s) Id. ibid. cap. 13. pag. 45. And Ingulphus speaking of that Princes time saith for many years before that the Elections of Prelates had not been free and Canonical that is made by the Clergy but the Court conferred all Dignities of Abbots and Bishops as they thought fit (t) A multis annis retroactis nulla electio Praelatorum erat libera canonica sed omnes dignitates tam Episcoporium quam Abbatum Regis Curia conferebat Ingulph fol. 509. b. Which plainly looks back to the usage in the times of the old Saxon Kings So that Eadmerus need not have represented it as a new thing in William the Conqueror to appoint Bishops (u) Eadmer Histor nov lib. 1. p. 6. 'T is true he did nominate Remigius to the See of Dorchester (w) Matth. Paris An. 1085. p. 12. And he is said to have chosen Lanfranc to be Bishop of Canterbury (x) Malmsbur de gest Pontif. p. 116. b. but so had all his Ancestors done And so did his Successors For King William Rufus on his sick Bed named Anselm for the See of Canterbury then void
had been crucified and now was risen again as he had promised Ver. 21. When therefore their Faith was thus confirmed and their Minds composed Then said Iesus to them I salute you again most heartily wishing Peace and all Happiness may now and ever be unto you For I now come to enlarge your Character by making you my Deputies and Vicegerents in the Ruling and Feeding my Church And that your Authority and Power may be equal to your Trust Behold As my Father hath sent me with his Spirit and in this Name to be the supreme Pastor of this Flock even so send I you with my Spirit and in may name (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sig. mittere cum potestate mittenti 1 Peter ii 14. Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et missi Dominici pro judicibus Capitular Franc. passim to gather together instruct and preside over the Church in my absence as my Delegates and Representatives till I come again at the end of the World and I expect that all who believe in me shall receive and obey you as such for my sake who send you Ver. 22. And when he had said this to instate them into this Office he also made use of a visible significant sign And to shew the ability to execute it aright came originally from the Holy Spirit which he as the eternal Son of God had power to communicate he breathed on them for breath is an emblem of the Spirit called in Hebrew by the same name and was used by God when at the first Creation he put the Soul and Spirit into Man therefore when Spiritual power and Energy was to be put into these newly created Officers Jesus used the same Symbol and said unto them to explain the meaning of the sign Receive every one of ye the Holy Ghost and all his gifts that are ordinarily necessary for the discharge of this your Pastoral Office unto which I now admit you Ver. 23. And leaving you my Embassadors resident upon Earth I do commit to you and your Successors the Ministry of reconciling Sinners unto me upon the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace which I have established in the Gospel and no otherwise So that you shall not only have Authority by these Rules to declare what things are lawful and what unlawful but to judge of Persons and their Actions and if any have Sinned who truly Repent of it you may not only pray to God for them and according to the Gospel promises give them hopes of a Pardon But if you think their Repentance sincere you may Pronounce it and I will confirm it For whose soever Sins you remit in my Name and on my Conditions they are remitted and I will forgive them according to the tenor of my Gospel And on the otherside whose soever Sins ye judge are not sufficiently repented of and so you retain your power of Absolution and declare their guilt remains upon them such Men are liable to my final sentence for as to the Sins of these impenitent Wretches they are retained and I will not forgive them till they give better Testimonies of their unfeigned Repentance (g) Non praejudicamus Domino judicaturo quo minus si Poenitentiam plenam invenerit tunc ratum facit quod à nobis fuerat hic statutum Cypr. ad Anton. Ep. 52. You know I am appointed the great Judge of all and I who alone have the original power to Forgive or Condemn invest you with this Prerogative of loosing the Penitent and binding the Ostinate both to enable you the better to deal with all sorts of Offenders and to bring all Christian People highly to Reverence (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in loc your Office and greatly to regard your Censures and Absolutions A Paraphrase on the third Gospel §. 4. Matth. xxviii 18. After our Lord had often manifested himself to be risen again at Jerusalem the eleven Disciples by his direction went into Galilee to a Mountain probably Tabor where being assembled Iesus came as he had promised to take his final leave and spake unto them to this effect Having now gone through all the Stages of my Humiliation and perfected the work of your Redemption Now by vertue of the eternal Covenant between me and my Father All power and Authority is (i) Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lat. potestas given to me to Order Rule and Govern all things both in Heaven the Triumphant and also in Earth the Militant part of my Church Saints and Angels there and all Mankind here being subjected to me as their sole supreme Head Ver. 19. As to the upper and glorious part of my Kingdom whither I am now returning to be your Mediator there I will manage that in Person But you shall be my Delegates here on Earth Go ye therefore as my Apostles in my name and Teach the first Principles of my Religion unto all Nations in the World So as to convert both Jews and Gentiles to be my Disciples And when they believe my Doctrine and will promise to live by my Rules you shall solemnly admit them by Baptizing them with Water for remission of all their Sins using this Form I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost declaring thou art a Believer of the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity and by that distinguishing Article receiving thee into Christ's Holy Church of which thou art now made a Member Ver. 20. As for those whom you have thus baptized you must take care that they understand and keep their Baptismal Vow by frequently Preaching to them and Teaching them conscientiously and strictly to observe all things whatsoever I have revealed to be a Duty and all that I have commanded you already while I was with you upon Earth or shall hereafter by my Spirit further enjoyn to you and them for keeping these my Commandments is the only way to eternal Life I foresee you will meet with many difficulties and much opposition in doing this and perhaps you may be troubled that I must leave you but go on courageously for lo though I am to remain in Heaven as to my Bodily presence yet as God I am Omnipresent and by my constant assistance and support you shall find that I am with you as long as you live and will be with your Successors always even unto the end of the World then I will come again in Glory to reward you and them for all your Labours in my Vineyard and all your Sufferings upon the account of me and mine Amen CHAP. V. Of the Arch-Bishop and the Oath of Canonical Obedience to him §. 1. RUbr And then shall be also ministred unto them the Oath of due Obedience to the Arch-Bishop as followeth It hath been fully proved by divers learned Writers That as soon as the Christian Religion began to spread over the Provinces of the Roman Empire the Bishops of lesser Cities were subordinate to those of
put in these words the Royalties of St. Peter (f) Regulas S. Patrum adjutor ero ad defendendum in Decret ut sapr Hodic Regalia S. Petri. and the modern Form for a Metropolitan keeps both containing many other extravagant additions (g) Vid. Pontifical Rom. p. 88. and being so worded that every Popish King when he nominates an Arch-Bishop loses a Subject because he must swear fealty to another Prince (h) Vid. Spalatens de Repub. Eccl. l. 4. c. 2. §. 52. p. 425. Which was understood in England so well even while Popery was professed here that William Rufus declared Anselm could not keep his Allegiance to him together with this Obedience to the Apostolical Seat promised against his will (i) Protestatus est illum nequaquam fidem quam sibi debebat simul Apostolicae sedis obedientiam contra suam voluntatem posse servare Eadmer Hist Nov. p. 26. So that this Oath never was liked in the English Nation and at last it was declared treasonable and forbid by Law And not only so but a short and plain Oath is all that is now required of our Bishops that they will pay due reverence and Obedience to the Arch-Bishop the Metropolitical Church and their Successors Now this only relates to Ecclesiastical Matters contained in the Canons and is no more than is necessary for the good Order and Government of the Church it no way interferes with the Temporal Allegiance due to the King and is much the same with that Question and Promise used 800 year ago and cited before out of Morinus So that there can lie no Objection against it Wherefore it may lawfully be taken and ought strictly to be kept to maintain regular Subordination and good Order in the Church CHAP. VI. Of the Exhortation before the Litany §. 1. BRethren it is written Luk. vi 12 c. Acts xiii 2 3 c. The ground of this short Preface to the Litany and other Prayers for the Bishop elect is laid on a sure Foundation viz. The practice first of Christ and then of his holy Apostles whose custom of Praying before they Commissionated any to be Pastors and the Churches constant following their Example is equal even to an Express Command for us to pray before all sorts of Ordinations And First St. Luke Chap. vi ver 12. tells us Our Saviour went into a Mountain to pray and continued all night in Prayer to God Adding ver 13. And when it was day he called his Disciples and of them he chose Twelve c. From whence it is clear that the Lord Jesus who knew the hearts of all men and whose single request was enough with his Father who heard him always spent one whole Night in Prayer before he chose and sent out his Apostles and 't is as plain he did this chiefly for our Example to shew us how to proceed on this weighty occasion For he retires to a Mountain a-part where it seems there was a House of Prayer a Proseucha built (k) Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers Syriac Quoniam illic videbatur Domus Orationis Dulplexarticulus ostendit quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de loco dicitur ut Act. xvi 2. Ham. Annot. ibid. to which in the day-time many resorted but at night it was empty and free and there our Lord chose to spend his whole time in deep Meditation and fervent Prayer before he entred on the same Work that we are going about and if we remember what was observed before upon Matth. ix ult and Chap. x. 1. (l) See Disc on the Office of Priests in the First Gospel that he charged his Disciples to pray also before he gave them their Mission it will effectually shew with how great Devotion not only the Ordainer but those to be Consecrated or Ordained also should prepare themselves on this solemn Occasion Watching Fasting and Prayer being far more necessary in our Circumstances than it was either in his or theirs 2ly To this Example of our Lord is added the imitation thereof by the Bishops and Apostolical Men at Antioch who even when God immediately chose the Persons and allotted their peculiar Work did not lay their Hands on Saul and Barnabas till they had Fasted and Prayed (m) Act. xiii 2 3. Our Saviour also was Fasting when he Ordained his Apostles for it was early in the Morning after a night spent in Prayer that he called and sent them (n) Luk. vi 13. And this was one of those Ecclesiastical Matters upon which the Primitive Bishops appointed the Christians to Fast and Pray (o) Episcopi universae plebi mandare jejunia solent alicujus sollicitudinis Ecclesiasticae causa Tert. adv Psych c. 13. The inference from all which Premises naturally is Let us therefore following the Example of our Saviour Christ and his Apostles first fall to Prayer before we admit this Person c. Though we do believe he is inwardly called to this Great Work by the Holy Ghost yet we must by Litanies Supplications and devout Prayers earnestly beg of Almighty God to enable him to perform it to his Glory and the Salvation of his own and many others Souls CHAP. VII Of the Questions to a Bishop §. 1. The Preface BRother for as much as the Holy Scripture and the Ancient Canons command that we should not be hasty in laying on Hands and Admitting c. This Introduction is to shew that these necessary interrogatories before the admission of a Bishop are grounded first upon Holy Scripture even St. Paul's charge to Timothy concerning his not ordaining any without a previous examination (p) 1 Tim. v. 22. Citatur à D. Bern. inde sic Eugenium alloquitur Curae tibi sit maxime introducere tales quos postmodum introduxisse non poeniteat Bern. de Consid l. 4. c. 4. p. 887. Which St. Bernard expounds of not ordaining any but such as they will not repent afterward that they did admit Secondly This method of asking Questions of the Candidate for a Bishoprick is grounded on divers ancient Canons especially on that of the Fourth Council of Carthage where it is expresly required and where all the particulars to be enquired of as to his Manners his Learning and especially as to his Faith are set down at large (q) Qui Episcopus ordinandus est antea examinetur c. Concil Carthag 4. Can. l. Bin. T. 1. p 588. and unless he could give an Account in all the particulars the Metropolitan was not to consecrate him From this Canon which also cites the place of St. Paul our Church hath taken this Preface being very like also to the most ancient Forms used in the Western Church as may be seen in Morinus which thus begins The ancient Rules of the Fathers especially the Canon of Carthage ordains according to that of the Apostle Lay Hands suddenly on no man c. (r) Antiqua S. Patrum instituta at legimus in
received by the Church for which end they promise upon the third Question to exercise themselves in Study and Prayer to gain a complete understanding of the Holy Scripture And if a Bishop be throughly inlightned with this Divine knowledge the bright beams thereof will banish all Erroneous Opinions and make them disperse as the Mists before the Rays of the resplendent Sun The inferior Clergy may confute false Doctrines but Bishops being supposed to have more Skill and Experience as well as more Age and Authority they must drive them away They are set in the Watch-towers to discover Heresies and like wise and valiant Generals one of which is worth a whole Army (e) 2 Sam. xviii 3. Solent plus reponere in duce quam exercitu Tacit. de Morib Germ. p. 663. must not only Fight against them themselves but must advise manage and encourage all the Under-officers and Soldiers Hence the ancient Canons lay great stress upon the Bishops care in this matter And order That if any Bishop let the Hereticks alone in any part of his Diocess and another Bishop shall convert them that Town shall be given to the latter Bishop (f) Concil Carthag can 122. ap Ber. T. 1. p. 655. And the former Bishop is to be admonished of this neglect so as if he persist in this negligence six Months after such Admonition he shall be Excommunicated (g) Ibid. Can. 124. apud eund pag. 658. Wherefore when Riparius complained to St. Hierom that Vigilantius spread his Heresie in that Diocess where he was a Priest the Holy Father wonders that the Bishop should not restrain such fury (h) Miror sanctum Episcopum in cujus Parochia esse Presbyter dicitur acquiescere furori ejus c. Hieron ad Ripar Ep 53. T. 2. p. 152. And besides this promise our Bishops are obliged frequently to confer with Recusants and to do their utmost to reclaim them As our Canons enjoyn (i) Canon 66. of the Church of England And here I could give many instances of divers of our learned and zealous Bishops who have not only secured their own People from Heresie and Schism but converted divers Recusants of all sorts And if all our right reverend Fathers remembring this solemn promise would apply themselves to this necessary Duty with a Zeal suitable to the occasion their Dignity and Station would give great weight to their Arguments and their Example would also quicken the inferior Clergy to do their parts in the places that are under their several charges And multitudes of poor Souls bought with the most precious Blood of Christ now wandring in the dangerous and destructive Paths of Popery and Fanaticism would every were be happily reclaimed and brought over to the Church To which pious and charitable design I shall humbly and briefly offer two or three motives First That the present Toleration as to Protestant Dissenters having suspended the Bishops exercise of their Authority in this Matter there is no way left to reduce this sort of Recusants but by Arguments and Persuasion and as to Papists those always were and are the fairest ways of convincing them nor if we had power ought we to imitate that unchristian Rigour which we condemn them for using to foreign Protestants (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dict. Marciani Aug in Concil Chaled Bin. T. 2. p. 361. so contrary to the practice of the Primitive Church (l) Socrat. Hist l. 7. c. 3. pag. 733. as well as to the Spirit of the Gospel (m) Luke ix 55. Secondly Let the goodness of our Cause be considered Our Doctrines are so plainly contained in Holy Scripture our Offices and Rites so proper Pious and Primitive and have been so clearly justified against all opposers by many eminent Writers of this Church That if we can but win its deluded Adversaries to hear us Reason or Read our Books there is little doubt of success and their Priests and Teachers know this which makes them hinder them as much as in them lies from hearing or reading what we say or write Lastly Let the vigilance and strangely busie zeal of Seducers be duly considered who like their ancestors the Pharisees compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte and ply those they find doubting wavering or discontented night and day by Discourses Books and fair Promises and shall not we take as much pains to save Mens Souls as they do to destroy them to propagate Gods Holy and Eternal Truth as they to disseminate their pernicious Errors I shall add no more because I hope a word is sufficient to our worthy Bishops who generally use their utmost endeavours in this kind And merit praise rather than need Exhortation §. 4. Qu. VI. Will you maintain and set forward as much as shall lie in you quietness love and peace among all Men c. There is no more expected from a Priest but only to promote Peace and Charity and that is also the Duty of a Bishop as the former part of this Question shews but since the Canons of our own and the ancient Church as well as the Laws of this Land have put the Ecclesiastical Discipline into none but the Bishops hands who also have by God's word a just right to Administer the same Therefore it is required that they shall further promise To correct and punish the unquiet disobedient and criminous according to that Authority which they have both by God's Word and the Ordinance of this Realm I need not repeat that which I have proved in a peculiar tract viz. The Bishops having this Authority vested in them both by Scripture and the Laws Ecclesiastical and Civil (n) See my Discourse of Excommunication printed at London 1685. But I shall rather briefly shew here the manifold benefits that will arise from their due Execution of this power as to regulating the manners of those within the Church who only can be a scandal or an honour to it There are many faults among these for the purest Principles and Holyest Rules will not always secure the innocence of such as profess to believe and follow them But if the Rulers of the Church upon the discovery of them zealously and prudently labour to punish the offence and reform the Offender they not only save the honour of the Church but probably the Soul of the Criminal also which should be the great end of Church censures being a Power that is given for Edification and not for Destruction as the Apostle declares (o) See ch 8. §. 2. 2 Corinth xiii 10. Now since Bishops cannot amend the Evils they do not know Therefore the ancient Canons require That they shall personally visit their whole Diocess once every year (p) Unusquisque Episcopus Parochiam suam omni anno semel circumeat Concil Calcuth Can. 3. An. 857. Spelm. T. 1. p. 193. and the present usage is for them to do this annually by their Arch-Deacons and once in three years by themselves
to gain the Profits of them as a Right to their Crown which he saith threatned Ruine to the Gallican Church because Bishops had the sole power to constitute Successors to supply the Ministrations proper to the lower Orders (f) Summis Sacerdotibus morte truncatis nec ullis deinceps Episcopis in defunctorum Officia suffectis per quos utique minorum Ordinum Ministeria subrogabantur ruinam imminere Ecclesiis Sidon l. 7. ep 6. Since therefore they have this sole Privilege doubtless it is very necessary strictly to require a Promise from them at their Consecration that they will faithfully perform this great trust of Ordaining and sending out fit Persons to execute the Priestly and Episcopal Offices For if they promote any that are Heterodox or Schismatical in their Opinions Weak and Unripe in their Judgments or Vicious and Debauched in their Lives either by negligence in due examining them before or which is worse by fear or favour be imposed upon it is the greatest Sin they can possibly commit and they are answerable for all the ill effects of admitting such Persons into so Holy an Employment The Roman Writers record of their famous Pope Leo the Great that for forty days together he fasted and prayed for Pardon of all his Transgressions and that at last St. Peter appeared to him and told him all should be forgiven him but the Sins of his Ordinations (g) Dimissa sunt tibi omnia peccata tua praeterquam impositionis manuum Pratum Spir. c. 149. ap Bin. not in Vit. S. Leonis And there is thus much moral in the Story that if a Bishop be of never so holy a Life and hath few Sins of his own by this means as St. Paul speaks he becomes partaker of other mens Sins (h) 1 Tim. v. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theop. in lo. because he is the occasion of all the ill consequences of putting an ill man into Sacred Orders And therefore many pious Bishops have opposed the Commands and Menaces of Princes and those of the highest Quality who have urged them to Ordain such as were evil and unfit and have therein shewed a commendable Zeal for God's Glory and the Good of the Church In the ignorant and wretched Ages before our Reformation this neglect had brought the Clergy into extream contempt which I chuse to express in the words of an honest Romish Author then living who says of the Bishops of his time They thrust men into Holy Orders that are like a company of Jack-daws Infamous Boys and Illiterate such as are not fit for any thing else and are not called by God contrary to the Rules of our Forefathers yet if any suffer a repulse he flies to Rome where the most holy Fathers admit Hostlers Cooks and Ideots to the Altars of the Great God yea such as in Germany would not be allowed to communicate among the Laity to the shame and grief of all good Men till they have made the Name of Priest to be a reproach surely they must have evil thoughts of Religion and themselves or design to abuse Christian People who do such things the Work shews the Artificer the Tree is known by its Fruit may Christ save us St. Peter is asleep and the other Simon not to say Antichrist hath got the Dominion (i) Aventini Annal. l. 2. p. 118. qui scripsit circ An. 1500. Thus alas it was then and no doubt it hastned the Reformation and since that in our Church though some few do creep in that prove very unworthy by fair Certificates gained by favour yet generally our Bishops and their Arch-Deacons are very careful to keep out ignorant and scandalous Men for which they deserve the highest applause and the general good Character of most of the Clergy shews that all due caution was taken in their Admission §. 6. Quest VIII Will you shew your self gentle and be merciful for Christ's sake to the poor and needy People and to all Strangers c. As Bishops succeeded the Apostles in all the ordinary parts of their Office so they did in the Primitive Times in their being Supream Treasurers of all the Oblations of the Faithful and by their Order they were distributed to the Poor and Needy of all sorts as I have shewed at large elsewhere (k) Act. iv 35. See the Divine Right of Tithes Par. I. c. 4. p. 60. Par. II. c. 15. p. 117. In those Ages therefore the care of the indigent lay almost wholly upon them So that the Ancient Author of the Apostolical Constitutions tells us they were to be addressed to at their admission in this Form O ye Bishops be careful to maintain all the Poor so as none may want Give to Orphans of the Gifts of their Parents to Widows those of their Husbands make Marriages for such as are grown up get Work for the Artificer shew Mercy to the Weak provide Meat for the Hungry Drink for the Thirsty Cloaths for the Naked Medicines for the Sick and Relief for the Prisoners (l) Constit Apostol l. 4. c. 2. fol. 60. In after times the case was altered in some measure since the building of Parochial Churches in all parts of the Diocesses to which the Bishops granted or confirmed all the Profits and Oblations formerly payed and presented at the Cathedral arising within those Precincts enjoyning the Parish Priest to take care of his own Poor And since that our Secular Laws have provided for the residence and relief of the Poor in every Parish yet still there are very many and great Objects of Charity especially in great Cities Decayed and Aged Labourers and Tradesmen Orphans and Widows Sick and Lame Blind and Maimed many undone by Fire and Water Thieves and Robbers many poor Strangers and Travellers and many confined to loathsom Prisons To which the Bishop is hereby obliged to be courteous and bountiful for Christ Jesus sake who takes that which is given them as lent to himself and will reward such Charity with a Crown of Glory (m) Prov. xix 17. Matth. xxv 34 35. His compassion interests him so far in their wants that he seems to beg in them and will be pleased by our giving them relief (n) Egestuosus pro se tantum in se eget Solus Christus est qui in omnium pauperuw universitate mendicat Salv. de gub l. 4. Now if all desire to hear those comfortable words of our Lord saith St. Hierom come ye blessed of my Father c. for I was Hungry and ye gave me meat c. how much more should a a Bishop his Steward desire to hear them whose House should be ready to receive all the necessitous (o) Matt. xxv 35 c. Cujus domus commune debet esse omnium hospitium Hieron in Tit. 1.8 'T is certain the Apostle's Rule That a Bishop must be given to Hospitality (p) 1 Tim. iii. 2. Titus i. 8. doth oblige in all Ages and
both his Clergy and People (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. in Trull can 19. Bev. Tom. 1. p. 177. where one of the Scholiasts observes this Canon was obeyed by the Patriarchs of Constantinople to the time of the Emperor Alexius Comnenus An. 1110 (k) Vid. Annot. ibid. T. 11. pag. 131. In the Roman Church the Bishops had neglected this part of their Office most shamefully long before the Reformation But since that in our Church the pious Prelates have been very frequent Preachers and innumerable of their excellent Sermons in Print demonstrate they were as eminent for as frequent in their Preaching I have seen a Register which Arch-bishop Mathews who is commended by Mr. Camden for his eloquent and constant Preaching kept wherein he noted almost every Sunday what Church he preached in and what Text he preached on and sometimes with what hopes of success It must be confessed to the honour of this Church that there are now in so many places Priests that are learned and able Preachers far beyond what the last Century afforded that Bishops preaching is not now so necessary as it was then yet doubtless they are highly to be commended who do often Preach both in their Cathedrals and also in the adjacent Country Cures where small allowances will neither support nor qualifie a Preaching Minister there their Labours will certainly be very acceptable and highly beneficial and where-ever they Preach 't is certain they will have numerous and attentive Auditories and may reprove rebuke and exhort with more Authority and probably with better success than a private Minister can do Wherefore we ought to pray that our Bishops may frequently and freely preach the Gospel though they have no peculiar Church under their special charge nor Superior to enjoyn them it is more pious and more honourable for them to Preach because 't is a free-will-offering and their whole Diocess is in some sence their Cure §. 2. Secondly We pray they may have Grace to minister the Discipline of the Church wisely and profitably expressing it in the words of St. Paul by using their Authority not to destruction but to salvation (l) 2 Cor. xiii 10. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not to hurt but to help Which intimates the difference between Secular and Ecclesiastical Power The Temporal Magistrate is also the Minister of God but he bears a Sword not only to be a terror to evil Doers but to make them suffer evil who have done it and to cut off and execute notorious Offenders But God's Spiritual Minister is only armed with a Pastoral Staff and a Rod (m) Psal xxiii 4. 2 Corinth iv 21. neither of which are designed to kill but to reform such as go astray his Authority is that of a Father who may correct a disobedient Child but not destroy him yea the very end of his Correction must be to save the Offender A Bishop hath a Power given him by God to warn the Unruly and if that take no place to suspend and excommunicate them yea to oblige them to give some publick Testimonies of their Repentance before he do restore such but this still aims at saving the Man and destroying nothing but the Vice For so soon as God touches the obstinate Sinners heart with a sense of his Sin and Guilt which this dreadful Anathema binds upon him our Spiritual Fathers are ready to absolve receive and embrace these their Prodigal Sons after the example of their Great Master yea either by Personal application or where that cannot be by the Parochial Priest our Bishops are to take care that Sinners remaining under this heavy Sentence which will certainly prejudice them at God's Tribunal may not die in their obstinacy and impenitence so that they try all methods to help and profit them by this godly Discipline But if all prove finally ineffectual as to the single Offender the keeping out one so infected from the Community of Christians is not only for the honour but also for the security of the whole Flock and that is one main end of Church censures not for revenge but to support the honour of Christ's Laws to admonish others to amend and warn all not to despise this salutary Authority as Lactantius notes (n) Surgimus ad vindictam non quia laesi sumus sed ut disciplina servetur mores corrigantur licentia comprimatur Lactant. de ira Dei p. 809. And this merciful Petition clears our Church from that which we do so justly condemn in the Roman where as was noted They make their Bishops swear to persecute Hereticks whom they ought rather gently to convert and set up Ecclesiastical Tribunals of Inquisition to cause men to be cruelly put to death for Opinions differing from theirs by which a good Author tells us that even within the narrow limits of the Low Countries in the compass of Fifty Years they executed above 100000 poor Christians meerly on the account of Religion (o) Camerar Op. Hor. Subseciv Tom. 3. c. 2. p. 8. Besides innumerable Cruelties of the same kind that are registred in bloody Characters in all the Countries of Europe where they have power This is using their Authority to hurt and to destruction with a witness but oh how contrary is it to the Spirit of the Gospel the Example of the Apostles and the Opinion and Practice of the Primitive Church When Athanasius was falsly accused but of killing one man the Catholicks detest the slander and say Our Church uses no slaughter nor bonds our Bishops never sent an Executioner or a Gaoler to any man (p) Caedes vincula aliena sunt à nostra Ecclesia c. Vid. Synod Epist ap Bin. T. 1. p. 402. And for their poor excuse that the Clergy only turn them over to the Secular Power That was the very crime of Ithacius and his Party of Bishops who instead of converting the Priscillian hereticks by Evil Counsel applied to the Secular Judges that by their Sentence and their Executions these Hereticks might be driven away from the Cities and when he got them condemned to die it was looked upon but as a piece of Craft to retire from the Judicature because he knew the wicked design was sure to take effect (q) Parum sanis Consiliis seculares Judices adeunt ut eorum decretis executionibus Haeritici urbibus pellerentur Ithacius subtrahit se cognitioni frustra callido jam scelere perfecto Sulp. Sever. Sacr. Hist l. 2. p. 422 430. And 't is certain that not only St. Martin was highly offended at these bloody proceedings (r) Idem Dialog §. 15. p. 565. but a whole Synod of Orthodox Bishops in Council assembled condemned the Fact and excommunicated all these Sanguinary Bishops (s) Concil Trevir An. 386. Bin. T. 1. p. 563. But Rome is now so different from the Ancient Church that they call that Zeal and make it Meritorious which the Saints they adore and
Church in Sacred Mysteries and dispensing of Charity so that we pray according to ancient forms that God would mercifully look upon these his Servants (h) Super hunc famulum tuum quaesumus Domine placatus intende Morin p. 263. Mabil p. 304. Pont. Rom. 35. 'T is true they are now approved by Man yet we know and their own Conscience tells them they have many infirmities and defects so that they need the mercy of that God who sees them all to excuse and so accept them none are worthy by their own merit 't is Grace alone that makes them fit and if God did not look on the best with favour they could not be sufficient for these things (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. ii 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Co◠iii. 5. The Bishop can do the outward part but the grace that makes them worthy flows from the visitation of the riches of his mercy (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euch. p. 251. as the Greek Office expresses this And now having prayed in general for God's mercy and favour we further beg that when his mercy hath preceded his grace may follow and that in those great effects of it so necessary for the Tribe of Levi Illumination in true Doctrine and Innocency or Perfection in Manners the former to replenish their Understandings with the knowledge of all Truth the latter to adorn their Conversation with all sorts of Virtue these two are Moses's Prayer for the Sacred Tribe and the meaning of Urim and Thummim (l) Deut. xxxiii 8. Perfectiones tuae Doctrinae tuae Vers Samar and will make our Man of God perfect and throughly furnished to every good work (m) 2 Tim. iii. 7. And indeed both are absolutely necessary for a Clergy-man he must as the first Deacons were be replenish'd with wisdom (n) Act. vi 3. Vid. item Luke ii 40. The Fountain which is to water many had need to be very full yea to overflow and then he may serve God by his words And he must also be adorned with Innocency of Life that he may serve God by his good Example and thus both by Word and Deed he may glorifie his Name and edifie the Church Hence the ancient Offices mention both these (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clement Constit ap Morin p. 24. Ut coelesti munere ditati tuae majestatis gratiam possint acquirere bene vivendi aliis exemplum praebere Pont. Rom. p. 39. and pray they may labour both by their Words and Deeds to edifie God's people And that being filled with Heavenly Gifts they may both please Almighty God and profit others by their good Example Nor may these two be separated for if a Minister be Innocent but Ignorant his Innocence only profits himself but he is not qualified to instruct others And if he be Learned but Vitious his Evil Example hinders the effect of his Exhortations and makes his Knowledge become unprofitable Wherefore St. Hilary notes a good Clergy-man must have both and we pray for both together (p) Non statim boni Sacerdotis est tantum innocenter agere aut scienter praedicare innocens sibi tantum proficit doctus sine doctrina sit authoritate nisi sit innocens Hill Pict d◠Trin. l. 8. that his Head may be full stored with the knowledge of all Orthodox Principles and his Life adorned with all sorts of Virtuous Practices Holiness is often compared to an Ornament and to such Robes as Men put on when they would appear gay and graceful (q) Isai lxi 10. 1 Pet. iii. 3 4. Rev. vi 11. Virtue is admired and lovely in all Men especially in Ministers they who are wicked themselves cannot but commend it in those of this Order (r) Quinetiam placet sua natura adeoque gratiosa est virtus ut insitum etiam sit malis probare meliora Sen. de Ben. l. 4. Who can never be generally acceptable reverenced and respected whatever Parts or other Qualifications they may have unless their Lives be holy and without blemish So that this which we pray for must be our Candidates principal care to live religiously and to abstain from all appearance as well as avoid all occasions of evil Neither Wit nor Learning Eloquence or Education will adorn him unless he lead a pious and holy Life §. 5. That both by Word and good Example they may faithfully serve Thee in this Office to the Glory of thy Name and the Edification of thy Church through the Merits c. 'T is fit so great and necessary a request should be earnestly desired by us and graciously granted by God to which end we conclude with two proper Motives the former to excite our Devotion in Asking the latter to incline our Heavenly Father to hear us Let us therefore consider that if we can prevail with him for a Learned and Holy Clergy they will be enabled to serve God faithfully and the effects of that service shall bring abundance of glory to God and much profit to his People both by their Preaching and Living Fidelity is the most necessary quality in and the proper Character of a good servant (s) Titus ii 10. Matth. xxv 21. especially if he be in a place of considerable trust (t) 1 Cor. iv 2. And more particularly it is required where the things committed to their trust are the Souls of Men that are more valuable than Silver or Gold (u) 1 Pet. i. 18. and the Master an All-seeing God who cannot be deceived who hears their Words and sees all their Actions and has declared he will require of them all that are lost by their neglect (w) Ezek. xxxiii 6. To serve such a Lord carelesly or deceitfully will certainly bring a curse on them (x) Jerem. xlviii 10. But to discharge this Trust faithfully cannot fail of a large reward (y) Dan. xii 3. Matth. x. 41. Luk. xii 37. Wherefore 't is not only their duty to be his faithful Servants but their interest also for our Lord hath promised that such as both do his Will themselves and teach others to obey it shall be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven (z) Matth. v. 19. therefore if we desire their eternal happiness hereafter who are chosen to minister for our Salvation here we must earnestly pray they may faithfully serve God in this Office But let it be observed by the way unless they serve God in this Calling both by Word and Deed it is not full and compleat and therefore not faithful service good Preaching is but half their duty Good Living is as necessary for Example as the other for Instruction and both do equally conduce to promote those two great ends of this holy Calling the glory of God and the edifying of his People A learned diligent and religious Pastor 't is to be hoped will daily glorifie God himself and not only persuade others so to do but by