Ancient of them was written till within those last Four hundred years so that he gives us a clear view of the Ordinations of seven succeeding Ages of the Western Church His Book is scarce to be had and therefore I shall draw out of it what relates to the Ordination of Priests and Bishops Only as he has Printed these Forms Strictly as the Manuscripts were written without altering some things that are manifestly the Faults of the Transcribers so I shall set them down exactly as He has published them with the Emendations on the Margin from other Manuscripts and adde a Translation of them in English But I shall begin with the three first Canons of the Fourth Council of Carthage in which we have the fullest and earliest Account of the Ordidinations of Bishops and Priests in the Latin Church and from the Simplicity of these and the many pompous Rites that are added in the latter Rituals the Reader will both perceive how the Spirit of Superstition grew from Age to Age and will be able to judge whether the Church of England or the Church of Rome comes nearest the most Primitive Forms These I set down according to the MSS. published by Morinus and Collationed on the Margin with a MSS. belonging to the Church of Salisbury that is judged to be six hundred year old and also with that Published by Labbée in the Tomes of the Councils Sacrarum Ordinationum Ritus Ex Concilio Carthaginensi quarto depromptus CANON I. QUI Episcopus Ordinandus est antea examinetur si natura sit prudens si docibilis si moribus temperatus si vita castâ—…s si sobrius si semper suis negotiis cavens si humilis si affabilis si misericors si literatus si in lege domini instructus si in scripturam sensibus caâ—…tus si in dogmatibus Ecclesiasticis exercitatus ante omnia si fidei documenta verbis simplicibus asserat id est Patrem Filium Spiritum Sanctum unum Deum esse confirmans totamque Trinitatis Deitatem coessentialem consubstantialem coaeternalem coomnipotentem praedicans si singularem quamque in Trinitate personam plenum deum totas tres personas Unum deum Si incarnationem divinam non in Patre neque in Spiritu Sancto factam sed in Filio tantum credat ut qui erat in Divinitate Dei Patris ipse fieret in homine hominis Matris filius Deus verus ex Patre homo verus ex Matre carnem ex matris visceribus habens animam humanam rationalem simâ—…l in eo ambae naturae id est Deus Homo una persona unus filius unus Christus unus Dominus Creator omnium quae sunt autor Dominus Rector cum Patre Spiritu Sancto omnium creaturaram Qui passus sit vera carnis Passione mortuus vera corporis sui morte resurrexit vera carnis suae resurrectinoe vera animae resumptione in qua veniet judicarâ—… vivos mortuos Quaerendum etiam ab eo si Novi Veteris Testamenti id est leges Prophetarum Apostolorum unum eundemque credat autorem evâ—…m Si Diabolus non per conditionem sed per Arbitrium sit malus Quaerendum etiam ab eo si credat hujus quam gestamus non alterius carnis resurrectionem Si credat judicium futurum recepturoâ—… singulos pro his quae in carne gesserunt vel poenas vel gloriam Si nuptias non improbat si secunda Matrimonia non damnet si carnium perâ—…eptionem non culpet si poenitentibus reconciliatis communicet si in Baptismo omnia peccata id est tam illud originale contractum quam illa quae voluntate admissa sunt dimittantur si extra Ecclesiam Catholicam nullus salvetur Cum in his omnibus examinatus inventus fuerit plene instructus tunc cum consensu Clericorum Laicorum conventu totius provinciae Episcoporum maximéque Metropolitani vel Authoritate vel praesentia ordinetur Episcopus Suscepto in Nomini Christi Episcopatu non suae delectationi nec suis motibus sed his Patrum definitionibus acquiescat In cujus Ordinatione etiam aetas requiritur quam Sancti Patres in praeeligendis Episcopis constituerunt Dehinc disponitur qualiter Ecclesiastica Officia Ordinantur CAN. II. EPiscopus cum Ordinatur duo Episcopi ponant teneant Evangeliorum Codicem supra Caput cervicem ejus uno super eum sundente benedictionem reliqui omnes Episcopi qui adsunt manibus suis caput ejus tangant CAN. III. PResbyter cum Ordinatur Episcopo eum benedicente manum super caput ejus tenente etiam omnes Presbyteri qui praesentes sunt manus suas juxta manum Episcopi super caput illius teneat In English thus CAN. I. LET Him that is to be Ordained a Bishop be first Examined if he be naturally prudent and teachable if in his Manners he be temperate if chast in his life if sober if he looks to his own Affairs be humble affable merciful and learned if he be instructed in the Law of the Lord and skilful in the sense of the Scriptures and acquainted with Ecclesiastical Doctrines and above all things if he assert the Articles of Faith in simple Words that is to say affirms that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are one God and teaches that the whole Deity of the Trinity is Coessential Consubstantial Coaeternal and Coomnipotent and that every Person of the Trinity is fully God and all the Three Persons are one God If He believes that the Holy Incarnation was neither of the Father nor the Holy Ghost but of the Son only that He who was the Son of God the Father by the Godhead becoming a Man was the Son of his Mother very God of His Father and very Man of His Mother who had Flesh of the Bowels of His Mother and a human reasonable Soul And both Natures God and Man were in Him one Person one Son one Christ one Lord the Creator of all things that are and the Author Lord and Governour of all Creatures with the Father and the Holy Ghost Who suffered a true Passion in His Flesh and was dead by a true death of His Body and rose again with a true Resurrection of His Flesh and a true Re-assumption of His Soul in which He shall come to judge the quick and the dead It must likewise be asked if He believes that one and the same God was the Author of the Old and New Testament of the Books of the Law the Prophets and the Apostles If the Devil be not wicked by his will and not by his Nature And if he believes the Resurrection of this Flesh which we now carry and not of any other and the Judgment to come and that every one shall receive either punishment
tolerable shew of Learning and Honesty then they spread it about that there is an Answer ready but the Visitors of the Press are so careful that nothing can escape their diligence But if either their Papers be too barefaced to be owned or if they know them to be so weak that they dare not put them to a tryal then instead of Printing them they Copy them out and give them about Of the former sort the World has got a good Evidence in the Discourses lately published about the Oath of Allegeance which they intended to whisper in corners but are now Proclaimed openly And of the latter sort is the following Paper which begins and ends with the highest confidence that is possible but is so extreamly defective in the point of Argument that they did very wisely not to adventure on publishing it But they must write and do somwhat to keep Spirit in their party and since the defending their own Church has succeeded so ill with them they do wisely to change the Scene and carry in the War to our own Church and make her the Scene of it but they are as ill at attacquing as defending and if we be but safe from their Mines we need not fear their Batteries but their under-ground work is a better game and if they cannot wast us with Destruction at Noontide nor make their Arrows fly by day then they study to infect us with a Pestilence that walketh in darkness and by secret Contrivances and Concealed Papers to compass that which they know can never be brought about by fairdealings and avowed practices But truth is great and the God of truth is greater and will prevail over the fraud of the Serpent as well as the force of the Lion And if we study to adorn our Profession and walk worthy of our Holy Calling we need not fear our Cause nor all the endeavours of those that study to defame us Without this the most laboured Apologies will not signifie much to support our Credit for the World is more affected with lively Instances and great Examples than with the most Learned Composures Every Man's Understanding is wrought on by the one the other only prevail on considering and judicious persons And any charge that is put in against the Pastors or Orders of a Church will be but little regarded when those that bear Office in it chiefly in the highest degrees are burning and shining Lights few will then stumble or be shaken with any thing that can be said to Eclipse their brightness 'T is for the most part want of Merit in Churchmen that recommends any Arguments that are levelled at their persons or functions to the World And though Malice and Spite ferments with the more rage the worthier the persons are against whom it works yet all attempts must needs be not only unsuccessful but fall back with shame on the Authors when all the World sees the Unjustice of them The Contents ARguments to prove the Invalidity of the Orders of the Church of England page 2. A Vindication of the Ordinations of the Church of England in Answer to the former Paper p. 19. An Appendix about the Forms of Ordaining Priests and Bishops in the Latin Church p. 107. Errata The first Paper is printed exactly according to the Copy that was sent me but these that follow seem to be the errors 〈◊〉 the Transcriber PAge 3. line 24. for such a Form Read to such a Poweâ—… p. 8. l. 27. for 1662. r. 1558. Page 28. l. 19. dele and p. 29. l. 26. for of r. for p. 38. l. 4. for are r. were p. 87. l. 15. for too soon r. too late p. 105 l. 25. after ground r. for p. 112. l. 19. for leges r. legis l. 22. for divum r. Deum p. 123. l. 12. for Sanctifica r. Sanctificatâ—… p. 126. l. 8. for novis r. novei p. 133. l. 26. dele as ARGUMENTS To prove the Invalidity of the ORDERS OF THE Church of England FIRST then I prove that the Ministers of the Church of England are no Priests through the defect of the Form of Ordination which was this pronounced to every one of them when they came to be Ordained Receive the Holy Ghost whose sins thou forgivest they are forgiven whose sins thou retainest they are retained and be thou a faithful Dispenser of the Word of God and his Holy Sacraments in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen After which the Bishop delivers a Bible to him saying Take thou authority to Preach the Word and Minister the Holy Sacraments in the Congregation where thou shalt be so appointed And my first Reason is Because this Form wants one essential part of Priesthood which is to Consecrate the most Holy Sacrament of Christs Body and Blood giving only power to Administer this Sacrament which any Deacon may do That to Consecrate and make present Christs Body and Blood is necessary Dr. Bramhal the Bishop of Derry one of the chief Abettors of the Protestant Ordination grants in his Book of the Consecration and Succession of Protestant Bishops saying The Form of words whereby men are made Priests must express Power to Consecrate or make present Christs Body and Blood And a little after They who are Ordained Priests ought to have Power to Consecrate Christs Body and Blood that is to make it present page 226. which it is evident by the very terms themselves that this Form expresses nor gives not having not one word expressing that Power which it cannot give without expressing it Secondly Because it wants another essential part which is to offer Sacrifice which the Apostle requires Heb. 5. 1. saying Every High Priest taken from among men is Ordained for men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both Gifts and Sacrifice for sins Even according to the Protestant Bible and which cannot be meant only of Christ as some Protestants would have it for in the 3. verse he says And by reason hereof he ought as for the people so also for himself to offer for sins whereas Christ had no sins of his own to offer for Thirdly Because those words Whose sins c. at most gave Power to forgive sins and not to Consecrate and offer Sacrifice having nothing to signifie that which is the chief Office of Priesthood Fourthly Because none could Institute the Form of a Sacrament to give Grace and Power to make present the Body and Blood of Christ but the Author of Grace and who had power over that Sacred Body and Blood But those that Instituted this Form were neither Authors of Grace nor had power over the Sacred Body and Blood therefore they could not Institute such a Form That they who Instituted this Protestant Form had no such Power is proved by the Act of Parliament the 3. 4. of Edward the VI. Cap. 12. which could not pretend such a 〈◊〉 in these words Forasmuch as to Concord and Unity to be
Divine Indulgence and the Priestly gifts of the Holy Ghost by the priviledg of his Vertue lest he be found unfit for his Place Item Benedictio SAnctificationum omnium Autor cujus vera Consecratio plena Benedictio est Tu Domine super hunc samulum ill quem Prebyterii honore dedicamus manum tuae Benedictionis eum insunde ut gravitate actuum censura vivendi probet se esse seniorem his institutus disciplinis quas Tito Timotheo Paulus exposuit ut in lege tua die ac nocte omnipotens meditans quod elegerit credat quod crediderit doceat quod docuerit meditetur justitiam constantiam miscricordiam fortitudinem in se ostendat exemplum probet admonitionem confirmet ut purum atque immaculatum ministerii tui domum custodiat per obsequium plebis tuae corpus sanguinem filii tui imma culata Benedictione transformet inviolabili caritate in virum perfectum in mensuram aetatis plenitudinis Christi in die justitiae aeterni judicii conscientia pura side plena Spiritu Sancto plenus persolvat Per Dominum The Benediction THou the Author of all Sanctifications whose true Consecration is a full Benediction Thou O Lord lay the hand of thy Blessing upon this thy Servant whom we have dedicated to the honor of Priesthood that by the gravity of his actions and the rule of living he may prove himself to be an Elder instructed in those Disciplines which Saint Paul delivered to Titus and Timothy that meditating in thy Law O Almighty God day and night he may believe what he reads and teach what he believes and follow what he teaches and may shew forth Righteousness Constancy Mercy and Courage in himself and approve himself a Pattern and confirm his Admonitions and may preserve the gift of thy Ministry undefiled and through the obedience of thy people may transform the Body and Blood of thy Son with an undefiled Blessing and may finish all by an inviolable Charity in a perfect man in the measure of the Statute of the fulness of Christ in the day of the justice of Eternal Judgment with a pure Conscience and a full Faith being full of the Holy Ghost The follows the Consecration of their Hands in these words Consecratio Manus COnsecrentur Manus istae sanctificentur per istam Unctionem nostram Benedictionem ut quaecunque benedixerint benedicta sint quaecunque sanctificaverint sanctificentur Per Dominum Item Alia UNgantur Manus istae de Oleo Sanctifica Chrismate Sanctificationis sicut unxit Samuel David in Regem Prophetam ita unguentur consummentur in nomine Dei Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti sacientes Imaginem Sanctae Crucis Salvatoris Domini nostri Iesu Christi qui nos à morte redemit ad regna coelorum perducit Exaudi nos Pie Pater Omnipotens Aeterne Deus praesta quod tâ—… Rogamus Orames Per Dominum In English thus LEt these hands be Consecrated and Sanctified by this Unction and our Blessing that whatsoever they Bless be Blessed and whatsoever they Sanctifie be Sanctified through our Lord. And Another LET these hands be annointed with the Sanctified Oyl and the Chrism of Sanctification as Samuel annointed David to be both King and Prophet So let them be annointed and perfected in the Name of God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost making the Image of the Holy Cross of our Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ who redeemed us from Death and brings us to the Kingdome of Heaven Hear us O Holy Father Almighty and Eternal God and grant what we desire and Pray for Through our Lord. There is neither more nor less in that Ritual about the Ordination of a Priest For this last of the Annointing the Priests with Oyl it cannot be called essential to the Priesthood for the Greek Church never used it and tho Nazianzen tells us that his Father had anointed St. Basil and that himself was also Annointed yet neither the Apostolick Constitutions nor Dionystus the Areopagite nor Simeon of Thessalonica nor Cabasilas tho they have delivered to us the Rites of Ordination in the Greek Church ever mention it And it is in no Greek Ritual So that what ever places are found in any Greek Author of Annointing in Ordination must be understood Allegorically and Mystically of the effusion of the Holy Ghost So both Elias Cretensis and Nicetas the Scholiasts on Nazianzen expound his words and there are some Passages near the end of his Fourth Oration that shew these other places of his are to be understood Metaphorically This Rite is not mentioned by the Council of Carthage and it seems was not received in Spain a great while after the Age of this Ritual for Isidor tho very particular in other things as the Staff and Ring does not mention it neither when He speaks of the Ordination of Priests nor Bishops Nor do the Councils in Spain mention it and Alcuine speaks nothing of it but it was only as seems used in the Gallicane Church and the first that I find clearly mention it is Amalarius but Gildas intimates it for he speak of the benediction qua initiantur Sacerdotum manus by which the Priests hands are initiated Pope Nicolas the first expresly says that at Rome neither Priests nor Deacons were annointed His words are Praeterea sciscitaris utrum solis Presbyteris an Diaconibus debeant cum Ordinantur manus Chrismatis liquore perungi quod in Sancta hac Romana cui Deo auctore deservimus Ecclesia neutris agitur Sed quia sit à novis legis ministris actum nusquam nisi nos fallat oblivio legimus You ask me further if only the Priests or the Deacons likewise when they are Ordained should have their hands anointed with the Chrism this is done to neither of them in this Holy Roman Church where by Gods appointment we serve and if our memory fails us not we no where read that this was done by the Ministers of the new Law The Second Ritual published by the same Author is as he believes Nine hundred year Old and has been compiled for the Church of Rome being that which is commonly called Sacramentarium Gelasianum in which the Rubricks and Prayers are the same with the Former only the Annointing is not mentioned in that part of it that relates to the Ordination of Priests but the Transcriber after the Office of the Ordination of the Subdeacon adds the Rite and Collects for the Annointing the Priests which Morinus believes he did to accommodate it to the French Rites The third Ritual is as Morinus believes antienter than Eight hundred years in which the Rites and Collects are the same with the Former only the Consummation and Blessing is wanting and a new Rite is added of giving the Vestiments with these words which are in stead of the
him but whether these were foisted in or not I cannot judge Now these Rites were afterwards a ball of Contention for the Emperours and Kings did give the Investiture by them which had they been given with our such words they might have more easily kept up their pretension but the words joyned with them relating wholly to Spiritual things were no doubt made a great Argument for taking them out of their hands Since it seemed very incongruous for a Secular and Lay person to pronounce them or perform a Rite to which such words were added The Fifth Ritual has only the Collects Adesto and Propitiare and the Prayer of Consecration without the Rubrick for giving the Chrism and the Collects Super Oblata leaving out in the Prayer of Consecration what is left out in the two former Rituals The Sixth Ritual has the Collects Adesto and Propitiare with the Prayer of Consecration as in the first in which the Rubrick about putting the Chrism on the head is also then follows a new Prayer that is in no other Ritual for the Bishop thus Ordained after which there is a Blessing called De septiformi Spiritu For the sevenfold Grace of the Holy Ghost then are the hands of the Bishop Consecrated with holy Oyl and the Chrism with these words Consecratio manuum Episcopi ab Archiepiscopo Oleo sancto Chrismate UNgantur manus istae sanctificentur in te Deo Deorum ordinentur Ungo has manus oleo sanctificato Chrismate unctionis purificato sicut unxit Moyses verbo oris sui Manus S. Aaron Germani sui sicut unxit Spiritus Sanctus per suos flatus manus suorum Apostolorum ita ungantur manus istae sanctificentur consecrentur ut in omnibus sint perfectae in nomine tuo Pater Filiique tui atque aeterni Spiritus S. qui es unus ac summus Dominus omnium vivorum mortuorum manens in Saecula Saeculorum LET these hands be annointed and Sanctified and Ordained for the God of Gods I annoint these hands with Sanctified Oyl and the purified Chrism of annointing as Moses by the word of his mouth annointed holy Aaron his brother and as the Holy Ghost by his breathings did annoint the hands of his Apostles so let these hands be Annointed Sanctified and Consecrated that they may be perfect in all things in thy name O Father and in thy Sons and thy Holy Spirit 's who art the only and great God of the quick and of the dead for ever and ever Amen Then his head is annointed with the following words Hic mittatur oleum super ejus UNgatur Consecretur caput tuum coelesti benedictione in Ordinem Pontificalem in nomine Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti LET thy head be annointed and Consecrated with a heavenly Blessing for the Pontifical Order in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Then the Staff is Blessed in these words in Verse Tu Baculus nostrae Rector per saecula vitae Istum sanctifica pietatis jure Bacillum Quo mala sternantur quo semper recta regantur Thou who art the Staff of our Life and our guide for ever sanctify this Staff by which ill things may be beaten down and right things always guided Then the Staff is given and after that the Ring almost with the same words that are in the Fourth Ritual then follows a Prayer that he may ascend the Episcopal Chair then he is put in the Chair and a Prayer is made for him that he may resemble the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Saints and in the end he is Blessed in these words Benedictio ejusdem Sacerdotis POpulus te Honoret adjuvet te Dominus quidquid petieris praestet tibi Deus cum honore cum castitate cum scientia cum largitate cum Charitate cum Nobilitate Dignus sis Iustus sis Humilis sis Sincerus sis Apostolus Christi sis Accipe Benedictionem Apostolatum qui permaneat in die ista in die sutura Angeli sint ad dexteram tuam Apostoli Coronati ad sinistram Ecclesia sit mater tua altare sit Deus Pater tuus sint Angeli amici tui sint Apostoli sratres tui Apostolatus tui gradum custodiant Confirmet te Deus in Iustitia in Sanctitate in Ecclesia Sancta Angeli recipiant te pax tecum indiscrepabilis per Redemptorem Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum qui cum Patre Spiritu Sancto vivit regnat in saecula saeculorum Amen MAY the people Honour thee may God assist thee and grant thee whatsoever thou shalt ask of Him with Honour Chastity Knowledg Bounty Charity and Nobility Be thou Worthy Just Humble Sincere and an Apostle of Christ. Receive a Blessing and an Apostleship which shall continue for this time and that which is to come Let Angels be at thy right hand and crowned Apostles at thy left Let the Church and the Altar be thy Mother and God thy Father Let the Angels be thy Friends and the Apostles thy Brethren and guard the degree of thy Apostleship May God strengthen thee in Justice in Holiness and in the Holy Church and may Angels receive thee and inseparable Peace be with thee Through our Lord Iesus Christ who with the Father and the Holy Spirit reigns and lives for ever and ever Amen The Seventh Ritual has first the second Canon of the Fourth Council of Carthage then the Exhortation to the people then the Collects Oremus Adesto and Propitiare then the Prayer of Consecration and then the annointing of the hands then follows the Communion Service The Eighth Ritual begins the Office of Consecrating a Bishop with the Collect Adesto Then follows a new Rite of giving the Gospel with these words ACcipe hoc Evangelium ito doce omnes Gentes REceive this Gospel and go and teach all Nations Then follows the Propitiare and the Prayer of Consecration and the Giving the Staff and Ring without any more This Rite of delivering the Gospels it seems was never generally received for it is in none of the other Rituals published by Morinus but is now in the Roman Pontifical The Ninth Ritual begins this Office with the Form in which the Kings of France did then choose their Bishops then follows an Oath of Obedience to the Patriarchal See no mention being made of the Pope or See of Rome then the Ring is Blessed with a particular Benediction and it is given with the words in the Fourth Ritual The Staff is next Blessed as in the Sixth Ritual and given as in the Fourth Ritual Then follow the Collects Oremus Adesto and Propitiare then the Prayer of Consecration as in the First Ritual then follows another long Prayer after which follows the Annointing of the hands and head and the Blessing for the sevenfold Grace of the Holy Ghost Then follows the Communion Service The Tenth Ritual has only the
Pastors For the foreign Churches they are able to speak for themselves nor is it needful for me here to shew what grounds there are for our Churches holding Communion with them But it must be acknowledged to be a high pitch of boldness and injustice to charge us as if we did not ascribe all due honour to holy Orders and the Succession of Pastors We know and assert That no man can take this honor of Priesthood to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron so also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee We reject the extravagant and bold pretences of hot-headed or factious Enthusiasts and have learned out of the Gospel that a publick calling was necessary even to those who had the most extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost Our Savionr sent his Disciples as his Father had sent Him and laid his hands on them and gave them the Power of binding and loosing And tho God had by his Spirit called Saul and Barnabas to the Apostleship of the Gentiles yet they did not enter upon the discharge of that Function till by the direction of the Holy Ghost whether by a voice formed in the Air or by a secret Inspiration it matters not they were separated for the work of the Ministry by Prayer and Imposition of hands And tho Timothy was by some Prophesies marked out as a Sacred Person yet he was received into that Function by the Imposition of S. Pauls hands From these sacred Authorities backed with the constant Doctrine and practice of the Churches of God in all Ages we do hold a visible Vocation and Ordination of Pastors necessary in the Church But whether the Roman Pontifical or our Ordinal comes nearer the Rules and Instances in Scripture and the forms of the Primitive times for at least Eight hundred years any that will compare them will easily discern and it is the chief subject of the following Work fully to evince the advantage of our forms beyond theirs It is true we do not extol the Office of Priesthood to that height as to say the Priest can by a few words work the greatest miracle that ever was and can make God present as they love to Phrase it this we think is the honouring the Creature more than the Creator Nor do we exalt the Priest above Gods Vicegerent on Earth our Lawful Soveraign whom according to the Doctrine of the Primitive Church even when Persecuted by their Emperours we honour as next to God and one who is inferiour to God only And therefore we reject the Seditious comparing of the Dignity of the Priestly Office with the Kingly which has not satisfied the Ambition of the Romish Clergy since Hildebrands days but the one must be preferred to the other Nor do we pretend that our Character gives us an Immunity to commit Crimes and an Exemption from the Civil Courts when they are Committed This were to make the Altar a Sanctuary for the most Criminal and the house of Prayer a Den of Thieves and Robbers It is true Christian Princes granted these Immunities at first that Church-men might not be disturbed in their Callings nor vexed with troublesome suteâ—… But afterwards that would not suffice but the Doctrine of Ecclestastical Iurisdiction and Immunity was set up as a thing most sacred and no wonder was it that men durst not presume to lay hands on him who could bring down not only Legions of Angels but God himself with a word And in the beginning of this Century Italy had almost been imbroiled in a War of the Popes making for which he pretended this for one cause that the State of Venice had apprehended two notoriously lâ—…ud and flagitious Priests and were proceeding against them according to Law But he saw other Princes were not very ready to second him and yet he did not lay down the quarrel till the Frocess of the Priests was discharged and they were set at liberty Such Exemptions are very profitable for a corrupt Clergy but if any such be among us we claim no such Protection being willing to leave them to the Law We know as little ground for thinking the Priest by his saying Mass can bring Souls out of Purgatory the Scriptures have made no discoveries either of Purgatory or the ways to escape from it or get out of it The Primitive Church continued still as Ignorant as the Holy Pen-men had been but in the darkest Ages the night being a fit time for Dreams this other world was discovered which has brought greater returns of Power and Riches to that Prince under whose Protection the discovery was made than the world Columbus discovered has sent to the Crown of Castile And tho the trade is not of that advantage that it was yet in gratitude for past services it must never be neglected or as when the vein of a Mine fails they dig on through the hardest Rocks till they find it again for the works must still go on But we poor souls have nothing to do with that gainful Traffick and therefore the Glory of the discovery and the Monapoly of the Trade we freely resign up to them and acknowledg the profits of new Inventions by the Rules of all Government are only due to the Inventors so that they have no reason to quarrel with us for leaving this entirely to them For the power of binding and loosing we do assert that as our Saviour vested his Disciples with it so it is still in the Church but if the vigor and exercise of it be much weakened we have none to blame for it but the Church of Rome who have now in a course of many ages laid down all open and publick penance So that the world being once delivered from that which to licentious men seemed a heavy Bondage it is not to be wondred at if the Primitive strictness could not be easily retrieved 'T is true this is a defect in our Church it is confessed by her in the Office of Commination and she wishes it may be restored but the decay and disuse of it begun in the Church of Rome and every body knows that what is severe and uneasy to Flesh and Blood is not soon submitted to when the practice of it is for any considerable time intermitted But the Clergy of that Communion thought they had made a good bargain when the necessity of Auricular Confessors and private Absolution was received to which the Laity did more easily submit that they might be freed from the shame of open penance and they knew how to deal with their Priests when the penance was secret none knew either the heinousness of their sins or the nature of the penance so it was more safe for the Priest to enjoyn what he listed and give Absolution on what terms he pleased And then because it was painful to have the Absolution delayed till the penance was
his Party yet he did overthrow all those Arguments against it that are brought in this Paper and shew'd they were of no force This Writing of his has not been yet Printed but I have perused it in the Manuscript Yet that this may not seem to be a declining of the task you have invited me to and because the Books I have mentioned are not perhaps in your hands I shall say as much in answer to it as I hope may fully satisfy you or any impartial Reader The Substance of the first argument to prove that our Ministers are not Priests is That by the form of our Ordination the Power of Consecrating the Sacrament of Christs most holy body and blood is not given the words only importing a Power to dispense the Sacraments which any Deacon may do Therefore the power of consecrating or making Christ's Body and Blood present being essential to the Priesthood and our form not expressing it and by consequence not giving it it wants one essential requisite to the Priesthood and therefore those that are ordained by it are not true Priests To which I answer 1. If our Form be the same in which Christ ordained his Apostles we may be very well satisfied that it is good and sufficient Now when our Saviour Ordained them S. Iohn tells us that he said Receive the Holy Ghost whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted to them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained this being that Mission which he gave them as the preceding words do clearly import As the Father hath sent me so send I you we can think no Form so good and so full as that he made use of It is true we do not judg any Form so essential as to annul all Ordinations that have been made by any other for then we should condemn both the Ordinations of the Primitive Churches and of the Eastern Churches at this day And this is the reason why even according to the ancient and most generally received Maxims of the Schools Orders can be no Sacrament tho in the general sense of the word Sacrament it being no term used in Scripture but brought into the Church we shall not much dispute against its being called so for by their Doctrin both Matter and Form of the Sacrament must be instituted by Christ and are not in the power of the Church Now they cannot but acknowledg that the Form of giving Orders in their Church was not instituted by Christ nor received in the Church for divers Ages which made Pope Innocent say that the Forms of Ordination were ordered and invented by the Church and were therefore to be observed otherwise it was sufficient in giving Orders to say Be thou a Bishop or be thou a Priest therefore though we do not annul Orders given by any other Form yet we have all reason to conclude that used by our Saviour to be not only sufficient but absolutely the best and fittest It is without all colour of reason that the writers of that Church will have the words our Saviour pronounced after he had instituted the Eucharist This do in remembrance of me to be the form by which he ordained them Priests for This do must relate to the whole action of the Sacrament the Receiving and Eating as well as the Blessing and Consecrating therefore these words are only a Command to the Church to continue the use of the Holy Sacrament in Remembrance of Christ. Nor do those of the Church of Rome think these were the words by which Christ ordained them Priests otherwise they would use them and think them sufficient but they use them not but instead of them say Receive thou Power to offer Sacrifice to God and to celebrate Mass both for the Living and the Dead 2. If this be ane essential defect in our Ordination then there were no true Priests in the Primitive Church for divers Ages and there are no true Priests at this day in the Greek Church and yet neither of these can be acknowledged by the Church of Rome for if they annul the Ordinations of the Primitive Church they likewise annul their own which are derived from them They do also own the Orders of the Greek Church to be valid as appears by their receiving them into their Communion at the Council of Florence and by their practice ever since which Morinus hath in the first part of his Work so fully proved from the decrees of Popes and Councils that the thing can no more be doubted and at this day there are Greek Churches at Rome maintain'd at the Popes charge in which Orders are given according to the Greek Pontificals as he informs us That in the Primitive Forms there were no express words of giving power to consecrate the Sacrament I appeal to the Collection of the most Antient Forms of Ordination that Morinus a Priest of that Church and a Penitentiary in great esteem at Rome has made where it will be found that for many Ages this power was not given expresly or in so many words The most ancient Rubrick about this is in the 4th Council of Carthage if those Canons be genuine When a Priest is ordained the Bishop blessing him and laying his hand on his head all the Priests that are present shall likewise lay their hands on his head about the Bishops hand Where we see that the Imposition of hands and the Bishop's blessing was all the matter and form of these Orders Denis called the Areopagite tells us that the Priest that was to be Ordained kneeled before the Bishop who laid his hand on his head and did Consecrate him with a holy Prayer and then marked him with the sign of the Cross and the Bishop and the rest of the Clergy that were present gave him the Kiss of Peace Here we find nothing but imposition of Hands and Prayer Now there being no general Liturgies nor Ordinals then in the World but every Countrey or perhaps every Diocess having their own Forms it was never defined in what form of words this Prayer and Benediction should be used but was left indifferent so the substance of the Blessing were preserved It is true the Author of those Constitutions that are ascribed to the Apostles sets down the Prayer of Ordination for which he vouches Saint Iohn Author which is That the Priest might be filled with the spirit of Grace and Wisdom to help and govern the Flocks with a pure heart that he might meekly teach the people being full of healing Operations and instructive Discourses and might serve God sincerely with a pure mind and willing soul and might through Christ perfect the sacred Services for the people in which there is nothing that gives in express words the power of Consecration In the most ancient Ritual that Morinus could find which belonged to the Church of Poictiers and has been composed about the middle of the 6th Century there is no mention in the
Prayer of Consecration of any such power The same Prayer of Consecration is also in another Ritual which he believes 900 years old and also in another that he believes 800 years old It is true in these Rituals there is a Blessing added in which among other things the Consecrator Prayes that by the obedience of the people the Priest may transform the Body and Blood of thy Son by an undefiled Benediction but here is no power given nor is this Prayer essential to the Orders so given but a subsequent Benediction Therefore the want of it cannot annul Orders And in another MSS. Ritual belonging to the Abbey of Corbey written about the middle of the 9th Century there is nothing but the Prayer of the Consecration of a Priest which is the same with what is in the other Rituals but the blessing which mentions the transforming of the Body of Christ is not in it by which it appears that it was not looked on as essential to Orders And in another Ritual compiled for the Church of England now lying in the Church of Roüen believed to be about 800 years old the Form of Consecration is the same that it is in the other Rituals The ancient Ritual of the Church of Rhemes about the same age and divers other ancient Rituals agree with these But the first mention of this power of saying Mass given in the Consecration of Priests is in a Ritual believed to be 700 years old compiled by some near Rome in which the Rite of delivering the Vessels with these words Receive power to offer Sacrifice to God and to celebrate Masses c. is first set down yet that is wanting in a Ritual of Bellay written about the Thousandth year so that it was not universally received for near an Age after it was first brought in Now in all these Rituals the Prayer of Consecration is that which is now in the Pontifical only one of the Prayers of the Office * but is not the Prayer of Consecration from which two things clearly follow First that no Form of Ordination is so essential but that the Church may change it and put another in its room and if the other be apposite and fit there is no fault committed by the Change much less such a one as invalidates the Orders so given Secondly It is clearly made out that in the Ordinations of the Primitive Church for 900 years after Christ there was no power of consecrating Christ's Body and Blood expresly given in the forms and words of Ordination So that if the want of such words annuls our Ordinations it will do the same to theirs the consequence of which will be that there were no true Orders in the Church of God till the latter Rites in the Roman Pontifical were invented and if that be true then the Orders of the Roman Church which have descended from them are not true since they flow from men not truly ordained And at this day the Greek Church as is set down by the Learned and Pious Bishop of Vence treating of the matter and form of Orders when they ordain 〈◊〉 give no such power but the Bishop lays on his right hand on the Priest's head and says The grace of God that always heals the things that are weak and perfects things that are imperfect promotes this very Reverend Deacon to be a Priest Let us therefore pray for him that the grace of the most Holy Spirit come upon him Then those that assist say thrice for him Kyrie Eleison Then the Bishop makes the Sign of the Cross and prays for the grace of God on the Priest thus ordained holding his hand all the while over his head then he puts the Priestly Vestiments on him and gives him the Kiss of Peace which is also done by the rest of the Clergy there present And Habert a Doctor of Sorbonne who has published the Greek Pontifical with learned Observations on it gives us this same account of their Ordinations which Morinus has confirmed by the several ancient Greek MSS. which he has published one of them being 800 years old which agrees with it and neither in the first Prayer nor second during both which the Bishop holds his hands over the head of him that is to be Consecrated is there any mention made of this power of consecrating Christ's Body and Blood And in the Rituals of the Maronites Nestorians and Copthites all which Morinus proves are held good and valid by the Church of Rome there is no such Power given in the words of Consecration their Forms being almost the same with those used in the Greek Church so that we generally find Imposition of hands with a Prayer of Grace and a Blessing were looked on as sufficient for Ordination and this was taken from the practices of the Apostles who ordained by Prayer and Imposition of Hands as appears from the places cited in the Margent and that these Prayers were that God might pour out the gifts and graces of his Spirit on them both the nature of the thing and some of the cited places do fully prove From all which it appears that either our Ordinations are valid or there are no true Orders in the whole Christian Church no not in the Church of Rome it self 3. The very Doctrine and practice of the Church of Rome shews that the essentials of Ordination remain still with us By the Maxims of the Schools there must be matter and form in every Sacrament the Matter is some outward sensible action or thing the Form are the words applyed to that action or thing which hallow it and give the Character when as they say the indelible Character is impressed which they believe is done by Orders The imposition of hands is held to be the Matter by almost all their Doctors as is acknowledged by Bellarmine Vasques and most of the Schoolmen are of this mind It is true Eugenius in his Instruction to the Armenians set down in the Council of Florence declares that the giving the Sacred Vessels is the Matter in Orders but the Council of Trent which was a far more learned and cautious Assembly than the other was in which there was nothing but Ignorance and Deceit determined that Priests have their Orders by the Imposition of hands for treating of extream Unction they decreed that the Minister of it was either the Bishop or Priests lawfully ordained by them by the Imposition of the hands of the Presbytery And Bellarmine both from the Scriptures and the Fathers proves that the Imposition of hands must be the Matter of this Sacrament since they speak of it and of it only Now if this be the Matter of this Sacrament then the Form of it must be the words joyned with it in their Pontifical Receive the Holy Ghost And the Council of Trent does clearly insinuate that this is the form of Orders in these words If any man say that in Ordination the H. Ghost is
or glory for what they have done in the Flesh. If he does disapprove Marriage or condemn second Marriage or blames the Eating of Flesh. If He Communicates with Penitents being reconciled If he believes that in Baptism all Sins both that which is Originally contracted and those which are willingly committed are pardoned and that none is saved out of the Catholick Church When being examined in all these things he is found fully Instructed then let him be Ordained Bishop with the Consent of the Clergy and Laity and the meeting of the Bishops of the whole Province and chiefly in the presence or by the Authority of the Metropolitan And he having undertaken the Bishoprick in the name of Christ must acquiesce in the Definitions of the Fathers and not in his own pleasure or inclinations And in Ordaining him that Age is necessary which the Holy Fathers appointed in the choosing of Bishops After this it is appointed how all Ecclesiastical Offices are Ordained CAN. II. WHEN a Bishop is Ordained two Bishops shall lay and hold the Book of the Gospel upon his Head and Neck and one saying the Blessing over Him all the other Bishops that are Present shall touch his Head with their Hands CAN. III. WHEN a Presbyter is Ordained the Bishop blessing Him and holding his hand upon his Head all the Presbyters that are present shall hold their hands beside the Bishops hand upon his Head The most Ancient of the Rituals Morinus proves was written some time between the year 511. and 560. in which the Ordination of the Priests is in this Fashion It begins with an Exhortation to the People to tell what they know of the Person to be Ordained and to make a publick Election of Him Then follows the Collect with this Rubrick Oratio ad Presbyteros Ordinandos ORemus Dilectissimi Deum Patrem omnipotentem ut super hunc famulum suum quem ad Presbyterii munus eligit coelestia dona multiplicet quae ejus dignatione suscipiunt ejus exequantur auxilio per Dominum Item alia Exaudi nos Deus salutaris noster ut super hunc famulum tuum benedictionem Spiritus Sancti gratiae Sacerdotalis effunde virtutem ut quem tuae pietatis suspectibus offerimus Consecrandum perpetua muneristui largitate persequaris per Dominum In English thus A Prayer for the Priests that are to be Ordained LEt us pray Beloved to God the Father Almighty that he may multiply heavenly Gifts on this his Servant whom he has chosen to the Office of Priesthood that what they receive by his favour they may execute through his help Through our Lord. And another HEar us O God our Saviour and pour upon this thy Servant the blessing of the Holy Ghost and the vertue of Priestly Grace that thou maist follow him with a perpetual largeness of thy gift whom we offer up to thy holy eyes to be Consecrated Through our Lord. CONSECRATIO DOmine Sancte Pater Omnipotens aeterne Deus honorum omnium dignitatum quae tibi militant distributor per quem cuncta firmantur amplificatis semper in melius naturae rationalis incrementis per ordinem congruam rationem dispositum unde Sacerdotalis gradus Officia Levitarum Sacramentis Mystici instituta creverunt ut cum Pontifice summos regendis populis praefecisses ad eorum Societatis operis adjumentum sequentes ordines viros secundae dignitatis elegeris sic in eremo per Septuaginta virorum prudentium mentis Moysi Spiritum propagasti quibus ille adjutoribus usus in populo innumeras multitudines facilè gubernavit Sic Eleazaro Ithamar filiis Aaron paternae plenitudinis abundantiam transfudisti ad hostias salutaris frequentiores officii Sacramenta sufficeret merétum Sacerdotum Hac providentia Domine Apostolis filii tui Doctores fidei Comites addedisti quibus illi orbem totum secundis praedicatoribus impleverunt Quapropter infirmitati quoque nostrae Domine quaesumus haec adjumenta largire qui quanto magis fragiliores sumus tanto his plurius indigemus Da quaesumus Omnipotens Pater in hoc famulo tuo ill Presbyterii dignitatem Innova in visceribus ejus Spiritum Sanctitatis acceptum à te Deus secundi meriti munus obtineat censuramque morum exemplo suae conversationis insinuet Sit providus cooperator Ordinis nostri eluceat in eum totius forma justitiae ut bonam rationem dispensationis sibi creditae redditurus aeternae beatitudinis praemia consequatur The Consecration O Lord holy Father Almighty and Eternal God the distributer of all Honors and Dignities that fight for thee by whom all things are strengthned the improvements of the rational nature being always enlarged by Thee to the better through a settled Order and congruous Reason from whence the Priestly Degrees and the Offices of the Levites which were instituted by Mystical Sacraments did grow up so that when thou set the High-Priests to govern the people thou didst choose for the help of their Society and work men of an inferiour Order and a second Dignity So also in the Wilderness thou didst propagate the Spirit that was in Moses into seventy prudent men whom he using as helpers with him over the people did easily govern innumerable multitudes So thou didst transfuse into Eleazar and Ithamar the Sons of Aaron abundance of the fulness that was in their Father that the Ministry of the Priests might be sufficient for the expiatory Sacrifices and the Sacraments that were more frequent By the same providence thou O Lord didst add companions to the Apostles of thy Son who were Teachers of the Faith with which Preachers of a second rank they filled the whole World Wherefore O Lord we beseech thee grant likewise those helps to our Infirmity who by so much the weaker as we are do need these the more Grant we beseech thee Almighty Father to this thy Servant the dignity of Priesthood Renew in his inward parts the Spirit of Holiness and let him obtain the Office of the Second Merit received from thee O God and make him Insinuate by the example of his Conversation a censure of Manners Let him be a provident Fellow-labourer with our Order and let the form of all Righteousness shine forth in him that when he shall render a good account of the Dispensation trusted to he may obtain the rewards of Eternal Blessedness Consummatio Presbyteri SIt nobis Fratres Communis Cratio ut his qui in adjutorium utilitatem vestrae Salutis eligetur Presbyteratus Benedictionem divini indulgentia muneris consequatur S. Spiritus Sacerdotalia dona privilegio virtutum ne impar loco deprehendatur obtineat per suum Per. The Consummation of a Priest BRethren Let us joyn in one Prayer that he who is chosen for the help and profit of your Salvation may obtain the Blessing of the Office of Priesthood by the
Blessing Hic vestis Casulam BEnedictio Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti descendat super te ut sis benedictus in Ordine Sacerdotali offeras placabiles hostias pro peccatis atque offensionibus populi Omnipotenti Deo Cui sit honor gloria in saecula saeculorum In English thus THE Blessing of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost descend upon Thee that thou maist be blessed in the Priestly Order and may offer acceptable or expiatory Sacrifices for the Sins and offences of the people to Almighty God To whom be honour and Glory for ever and ever The Fourth Ritual is the same with that which Angelus Rocca Published among Gregory the Great 's Works where are the two first Collects and Prayer of Consecration as in the first with the Annointing of the hands as is there and the giving the Vestments with the words in the Third Ritual The Fifth Ritual which he sets down has nothing relating to the Ordination of Priests but the two first Collects and the Prayer of Consecration before set down which upon that account he Judges defective The Sixth Ritual about Eight hundred year Old composed for the Church of England has all that is in the First Ritual with these additions It begins with the Canon of the Council of Carthage about the Ordination of a Priest Then follow the Collects and Prayer before set down Then there is added this Blessing before the Annointing of the hands Benedictio vel Consecratio manuum Sacerdotis ante Unctionem Chrismatis BEnedic Domine sanctifica has manus sacerdotis tui ill ad Consecrandas hostias quae pro delictis atque negligentiis populi offeruntur ad caetera Benedicenda quae ad usus populi necessaria sunt praesta quaesumus ut quaecunque benedixerint benedicantur quaecunque sacraverint sacrentur Salvator mundi qui vivis regnas BLess O God and sanctifie these hands of thy Priest for consecrating the Sacrifices which are offered for the sins and negligences of the people and for blessing of all other things that are necessary for the use of the people and Grant we beseech Thee O Saviour of the world who livest and reignest that whatsoever they Bless may be blessed and whatever they Consecrate may be Consecrated Then follows the Annointing of the hands as before Then is added the Annointing of the head with this Prayer Consecratio Capitis cum oleo UNgatur Consecretur Caput tuum coelesti Benedictione in Ordine Sacerdotali in nomine Patris Filii spiritus sancti LET thy head be Annointed and Consecrated with a Heavenly Benediction in the Priestly Order in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Then the Vestments are given as in the Third Ritual with a little variation in the Collect and then follows the Consummation and Blessing as was in the first Ritual before set down The Seventh Ritual which Morinus reckons likewise Eight hundred years Old has the same Collects Consecration and Benediction with the First with the delivery of the Vestment and Prayer as is in the Third Ritual and the Annointing of the hands as in the First without any further Rite The Eight Ritual is near the same Age with the Former the two first Collects and Prayer of Consecration are in it as in the First and the Giving the Vestment as in the Third and the Consecrating of the hands as in the First and there is no more in that Ritual The Ninth Ritual which He believes is Seven hundred years Old has the First Collects and the Prayer of Consecration as in the First There is a little inconsiderable variation in the Giving of the Vestments from what is in the Third The hands are annointed as in the First The head is Annointed as in the Sixth and the Hands are bless'd as in the Sixth the Consummation and Benediction are according to the First Then some Collects and Blessings are added relating to their Fasting and Abstinence The Tenth Ritual about the same age has the two First Collects and the Prayer of Consecration according to the First then follows the giving the Vestments according to the Third Then is the Annointing of the hands according to the First and the Blessing of them according to the Sixth There is no more in that Ritual The Eleventh Ritual about the same Age has the Exhortation to the people and the two First Collects with the Prayer of Consecration as in the First Then these Additions follow He puts one of the Vestments called Orarium on him and says Accipe jugum Dei jugum enim ejus suave est onus ejus leve Take the Yoke of God for his Yoke is sweet and his burden is Light Then the Casula is put on him with these words Stola Innocentiae induat te Dominus Let the Lord cloath thee with the Robe of Innocence Then follows the Blessing as in the First and the Annointing the Hands with a small Variation in the Collect from the words of the First This being done the Paten with the Hosties and the Chalice with the Wine is given with these words Accipe Potestatem offerre Sacrificium Deo Missamque Celebrare tam pro vivis quam pro defunctis in Nomine Domini Receive thou Power to offer Sacrifice and to Celebrate the Mass as well for the Living as for the Dead in the Name of the Lord. Then follows the Blessing as is in the Third Ritual The Twelfth and Thirteenth Rituals the one being about Six hundred and Fifty year Old the other a Hundred years later have the First Collects and Prayer of Consecration as the First had And the Blessing that is in the Third with the Consecration of the Hands that is in the First The Fourteenth Ritual about five hundred year Old has the two Collects and Prayer of Consecration as in the first Then the Orarium is given as in the Eleventh with an Addition in Giving the Casula Accipe vestem Sacerdotalem per quam Charitas intelligitur Potens est enim Deus ut augeat tibi Charitatem qui vivit Receive the Priestly Vestment by which Charity is understood for God is able to increase thy Charity who lives Then follows the Consummation and Benediction as in the first Then the Bishop makes a Cross in their hands with the Oyl and Chrism and uses the words as in the Eleventh Ritual then he gives the Sacred Vessels as in that same Ritual Then follows the Blessing in the Third Ritual and then the Bishop is to kiss them The fifteenth Ritual is about four hundred and fifty years Old and has very near the same Rubricks that are in the former only upon the Margin where the words are to be pronounced in the delivering the Sacred Vessels is written Accipe Spiritum Sanctum quorum remiseritis peccata c. Receive the Holy Ghost whose sins ye remit c. The Sixteenth Ritual about Three hundred
Collects Adesto and Propitiare and the prayer of Consecration with the Collects Super Oblata And on the Margin the giving of the Ring and Staff is set down but with a very different and much later hand The Eleventh Ritual begins with some rites that are not in the Roman Pontifical tho by it all is to be done in the Popes name by a Bishop Commissioned by him called Dominus Apostolicus or perhaps the Pope himself that being the common way of designing the Pope in those Ages the Dean or Arch-presbyter and the Clergy of the See ask the Pope or his Delegate their Blessing three times then they are asked some questions about the Elect Bishop among which those are considerable It is asked if he be of that Church to which it is answered Yes Then what Function he is of Answ. Of the Priestly Quest. How many years has he been a Priest Ans. Ten. Quest. Was he ever Married Answer Not. After these Questions are put then the Decree of Electing him which is addressed to the Pope is read by which they desire he may be Ordained their Bishop This must be signed by them all Then it is asked if any Simoniacal promises be made they answer No. Then the Bishop Elect is brought to the Popes Delegate who first puts the same Questions to him that were before put to the Dean and he answers them in the same manner Then the Introitus is sung after which follows the Collect Adesto then the Questions that are in the Pontifical are put to him and whereas in the former Rituals there was only a general promise of Obedience to the Metropolitan put to the Elect Bishop instead of that the two following Questions are put to him Wilt thou reverently Receive Teach and Keep the Traditions of the Orthodox Fathers and the Decretal Constitutions of the Holy and Apostolick See Answer I will Wilt thou bear Faith and Subjection to St. Peter to whom the Lord gave the Power of binding and loosing and to his Vicars and Successors Answer I will But these words not being thought full enough they have since added to Faith and Subjection and Obedience in all things according to the Authority of the Canons then the Elect Bishop is examined about his Faith the Questions being taken out of the three Creeds After which he is blessed and cloathed with the Episcopal Vestments and the Epistle is read 1 Tim. 3. Cap. Then his Sandals and Gloves are put on with Prayers at each of these Rites then the Bishops laying the Gospels on his head and shoulders and their hands on his head the Ordainer says the Collects Adesto Oremus and Propitiare then follows the Prayer that in former Rituals is called the Consecration but has no such Rubrick here it has all that is in the first Ritual only after the words Coelestis Unguenti Flore Sanctifica the Rite of Annointing the head with the words joyned to it in the Sixth Ritual is inserted after which follows the rest of that Prayer Next the hands are annointed and words somewhat different from those in the Sixth Ritual are pronounced Then follows a new Rite of putting the Chrism on his Thumb with a Blessing joyned to it then the Ring is blessed and given and so is also the Staff then the Kiss of Peace is given and he is set down among the Bishops and the Ordainer sits down and washes his hands and puts Incense in the Censer and gives the Blessing then follows the Service of the Communion To this Ritual Morinus had added an ancient piece of a Ritual which he found in a MSS. at Tholose about the Election Examination and Ordination of Bishops in the Roman Church which in all things agrees with the former except in an Addition which is also mentioned by Alcuinus I shall set it down in Latin without a Translation which in modesty I ought not to give By it the Reader will see what the Roman Church gained by pressing the Celibate of the Clergy so much since they were suspected of such horrid Crimes and were to be tryed about them The words are Inquirat illum de quatuor Capitulis secundum Canones id est de Arsenoquita quod est Coitus cum Masculo pro Ancilla Deo sacrata quae à Francis Nonna dicitur pro quadrupedibus muliere alio viro conjuncta aut si conjugem habuit ex alio viro quae à Graecis dicitur Deuterogamia dum nihil eorum ipse vir conscius suerit Evangeliis ad medium deductis jurat ipse Electus Archidiacono posthaec traditur Subdiacono pergit cum praesato Electo ad Aulam Sanctae Matris Ecclesiae ibique supra ejus sacratissimum Corpus confirmet quod non cognovisset superius nominata capitula And thus if they were free of these Crimes which are not to be named no other act of uncleanness was to be inquired after or stood upon only the Pharisaical Spirit of that Age is to be observed in that they reckon a Church-mans having been married to another mans wife which is forbidden by no Law of God or Nature in the same Predicament with those Abominations which God punished with Fire and Brimstone from Heaven The Twelfth and Thirteenth Rituals have not the office of Consecrating Bishops in them The Fourteenth Ritual begins with the Decree of Election directed to the Metropolitan without that previous examination that is in the Eleventh then follows the examination of the Faith and manners of the Bishop Elect then the people pray he may be Ordained after which two Bishops begin the Litany this is in no ancienter Ritual then the Hymn Veni Creator is begun which is also new being in no other Ritual after which they lay the Gospels on his head and lay on their hands and the Metropolitan says the Collect Oremus then follows the Propitiare which is called the Benediction then follows the Prayer Deus honorum after which there is another long Prayer that is in no other Ritual for a blessing in the Function to which he is Ordained then follows the blessing of the Sevenfold Grace then the Consecration of the Bishops hands with the Oyl and the Chrism then the Chrism is put on his head as the Oyl was by other Rituals put on his head in the midst of the Prayer Deus honorum omnium then follows a new Rite of putting the Miter on his head but no words are pronounced with it then the Ring is blessed and given so also is the Staff blessed and given then there is a Prayer about the putting him in his Chair after which he is put in his Chair and a new Prayer is used and all ends with the Blessing that is at the end of the Sixth Ritual The Fifteenth Ritual has no considerable variation from the former only in the beginning the Bishop that presents the Bishop Elect says Reverende Pater postulat sancta Mater Ecclesia ut hunc praesentem
Presbyterum ad onus Episcopatus sublevetis Reverend Father the Holy Church our Mother desires that you may raise this Priest to the burden of a Bishoprick Then the Consecration is made with the Collects Adesto Oremus and Propitiare said with a middle voice Then follows the other Prayer in which his head is annointed which in this Ritual is called a Preface tho in most of the former it be called the Consecration then follows the blessing of the Staff in the end the Blessing is given to the Bishop The Last Ritual agrees in all things with the Pontifical as it now is only the words Receive the Holy Ghost are in none of these Antient Rituals which Morinus saw tho the latest of those be not above three hundred years old To these I shall add an account of the Consecration of a Bishop as it is in the Ordo Romanus The Office begins with the Decree bearing the Election of the Bishop with a desire that he be Ordained as soon as may be directed to the Bishops of the Province then follows the First Canon of the Fourth Council of Carthage after which is the Metropolitans letter approving the Election and desiring the Bishop Elect to be brought to him when he is brought he is blessed in Order to his Consecration then the Antiphona and the Introitus are said after this follows the examination of his Faith and Manners as in the Eleventh Ritual Then the Epistle is read after which his Gloves and Sandals and his Dalmatica a Vestment in the fashion of a Cross first used in Dalmatia are put on and Collects are used in every one of these then follows the Exhortation that is in the antientest of Morinus his Rituals after which two Bishops lay the Gospels on his neck and Shoulders and all the Bishops lay on their hands on his head and the Ordainer says the Prayer Adesto then the Oremus which in the Rubrick is called Praesatio then the Propitiare which the Rubrick calls Oratio then follows the Prayer called in other Rituals the Consecration but in this it is called Praesatio which is the same that was set down in the antientest Ritual after Sanctifica the Chrism is poured on the Bishops head in the Form of a Cross with the words in the sixth Ritual Then follows the annointing of his hands after that the putting the Chrism on his Thumb then the Blessing and giving the Ring and Staff then follows the Blessing and Communion then follow the Letters that testify the Bishops Consecration called Literae Formatae then the Popes Edict to the Bishop Ordained containing very wholesome admonitions then there is a Sermon and an Exhortation which contain many excellent Instructions and Directions which deserve to be often read and well considered From all the Premisses it clearly appears that the Church of Rome did never tye these Offices to any constant unalterable Forms but that in all Ages there very great alterations were made And what was more antiently the Prayer of Consecration was of later times called Praesatio a Preface and what was in the antient Rituals only a Prayer for the Bishops that were to be Ordained is now the Prayer of Consecration for now in the Roman Pontifical all that is said in the Consecration of a Bishop when they lay hands on his head is Receive the Holy Ghost and then follows the Collect Propitiare So that it is very unreasonable and an impudent thing in the Emissaries of that Church to raise scruples about our Ordinations because we have changed the Forms since they have made many more and greater Alterations of the more Primitive and antient Forms With this I should end this Appendix which already grows too big but I will only add one Particular more about the Oath that is in the Pontifical to be sworn by all Bishops It is in none of all these antient Rituals nor ever mentioned by Morinus so that it seems though it was at first made by Pope Gregory the seventh yet it was long before it was generally received or put into the Rituals For the Readers further satisfaction I shall here set down all I can find about Oaths made to Popes At first there was nothing exacted but a Promise of obedience such as all Inferiours gave to Superiours Then there was a particular vow made by such as the Popes sent in Missions The first instance of this is an Oath which Boniface Bishop of Mentz who is called the Apostle of the Germans swore to Pope Gregory the second about the beginning of the Eighth Century which follows as it is among his Epistles In nomine Domini Dei Salvatoris nostri Jesu Christi Imperante Domino Leone à Deo coronato magno Imperatore Anno sexto post Consulatum ejus Anno sexto sed Constantino Magno Imperatore ejus Filio Anno quarto Indictione sexta PRomitto Ego Bonifacius Gratia Dei Episcopus vobis Beato Petro Apostolorum Principi vicarioque tuo beato Papae Gregorio successoribusque ejus per Patrem Filium Spiritum Sanctum Trinitateminseparabilem hoc sacratissimum Corpus tuum Me omnem fidem puritatem sanctae fidei Catholicae exhibere in Unitate ejusdem fidei Deo cooperante persistere in qua omnis Christianorum salus sine dubio esse comprobatur nullo modo me contra Unitatem Communis Universalis Ecclesiae suadente quopiam consentire sed ut dixi fidem puritatem meam atque concursum tibi utilitatibus tuae Ecclesiae cui à Domino Deo Potestas ligandi solvendique data est praedicto vicario tuo atque successoribus ejus per omnia exhibere Sed si cognovero Antistites contra Instituta antiqua sanctorum Patrum conversari cum eis nullam habere communionem aut conjunctionem Sed magis si valuero prohibere prohibeam si minus vero fideliter statim Domino meo Apostolico renunciabo Quod si quod absit contra hujus promissionis meae seriem aliquid facere quolibet modo seu ingenio vel occasione tentavero reus inveniar in aeterno judicio Ultionem Ananiae Saphirae incurram qui vobis etiam de rebus propriis fraudem sacere vel salsum dicere praesumpserunt Hoâ—… autem Indiculum Sacramenti Ego Bonisacius exiguus Episcopus manu propria scripsi atque positum supra sacratissimum corpus tuum ut superius leguntur Deo teste judice praestiti Sacramentum quod conservare promitto In the name of God and our Saviour Iesus Christ in the sixth year of Leo the Great crowned by God Emperour the sixth year after his Consulat and the Fourth year of Constantine the Great Emperour his Son the Sixth Indiction I Boniface by the Grace of God Bishop promise to you St. Peter Princâ—… of the Apostles and to thy blessed Vicar Pope Gregory and his Successors by the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost the Inseparable Trinity