A man must be made a christian through baptism before he can make a progress in christianity through confirmation A man must be made a member of Christ through baptism before he can be a soldier of Christ through confirmation A man must be endued with faith through baptism before he can be deputed to a speciall office in the exercise thereof which is to defend it against the assaults of Tyrants through confirmation A man must be invested with * Hieron diolog con Lucifer cap. 4. quemodo inquit ab Ecclesia recipiet confirmationeÌ„ qui nec dum remissionem peccatorum coÌ„secutus est Docet Arianos qui errabant contra formam baptismi non accepisse spiritum sanctuÌ„ per Sacramentum CoÌ„firmationis grace vnto remission of sins through baptism before he can receiue the holy Ghost vnto perfection through confirmation which does not confer sanctity after the manner of other Sacraments only but also doth * Omnes S. Patres qui agunt de Sacramento confirmationis doceÌ„t baptismi gratiam perfici consummari per gratiam coÌ„firmationis increase and perfect the sanctity receiued afore by baptism it being the complement or consummation thereof Whereby it is plainly euident that albeit this Sacrament is not as baptism a requisite absolutely necessary vnto obtaining eternall blessedness neuertheless it is conditionally necessary to wit as to the armour of grace and (h) According to Pope Vrban dist 5. de consecratione there is no perfect christian that hath not receiu'd the holy Ghost through the imposition of Episcopall hands and Hugo de S. Vict. l. 2. de Sacram. par 7. cap. 3. countes it dangerous to dye without being confirm'd afore which is conform to the doctrine of ancient Fathers S. Dionys Lâ—de Eccles Hierar c. 4. S. Cypr. Epis 72. ad Iubaian which assert that then a man has fulnes of sanctity and is made an adopted son of God when he receiues both the Sacraments baptism and confirmation perfection therof as also to a more ample measure of blessedness then baptisme alone doth effect so that christian catholicks especially such as liue vnder persecution ought to vse extraordinary endeauours for their admittance to this Sacrament the proper office there of being to strenghten them by grace that they may not fall from the Church of Christ * In Epis ad Fabium vti refert Eusebius l. 1. cap. 35. S. Cornelius affirmeth that Nouatus fell into Heresie for the want therof If they haue no conueniency in their own country to repaire vnto a catholick Bishop the spirituall aduantages which they may reape from the Sacrament of confirmation will compence the charges of a journey into forrain parts where catholick Bishops are to be found but this is to be vnderstood in reference to such catholicks as haue ability of body and a competency of temporall fortunes As touching the sensible rites or ceremonies employed in or about the Sacrament of confirmation the most remarkable are two only For example a Bishop in making of chrism breatheth three times in form of a cross on the mouth of the pot or flagon that containeth the said Chrism signifying thereby that euen at that time through episcopall consecration Chrism receiueth virtue from God wherby it is impowered as his instrument to confer strengthning grace to such as doe receaue the Sacrament aright and ceremonies signifying the thing that is done for the time they are employed are profitable by the confession of such * Caluinus in sua harmonia ad cap. 7. S. Marci fatetur caeremonias illas quae habent significationem eius quod tunc fit duÌ„ exercentur esse vtiles as impugne catholick ceremonies The other ceremonie is the reuerence a Bishop exhibiteth to the consecrated Chrism bowing down his head he saluteth saying Haile holy Chrism This ceremony hath nothing of Idolatry for an vnliu'd thing may challenge religious adoration in reference to an other distinct wherin excellency is contained to which religious adoration is due The ancient Iewes adored the Ark of the Testament because of the relation it had to God that is an increated excellency and all Christians doe religiously worship and adore the sacred books of the new Testament in reguard of the word of God therin comprehended And subjects of a temporall Prince do render ciuil reuerence to his chaire of state in relation to his sacred Person if a king or Emperour to which is due ciuill adoration by the law of God and nature in like manner religious worship is exhibited to holy Chrism in as much as it is the effectuall instrument of God to giue armour of grace to such as are baptised and is by speciall benediction deputed to the effecting therof CHAR. VIIJ. OF THE EVCHARISTE THE CONTENTS Christ the night before his passion made his last Testament gaue vnto his Church a legasy of his body and blood in the Sacrament of the Euchariste vnder the form's of bread and wine for to continue the spirituall food of souls till he come to Iudgment The express words of the Testament This is my body This Chalice is the nevv Testament in my blood exclude each figure that is inconsistent with the litterall sense intended by the Testatour that vseth not to say one thing literally and mean an other mystically because Christ Said this is my body this Chalice is the nevv Testament in my blood no man in reason ought to doubt of it Authorities of Councils testimonies of ancient Fathers and the warrantable practice of both primitiue and modern Churches euince the reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Euchariste in vertue of the same word that was made flesh and made all things of nothing bread is transubstantiated in to the body and wine in to the bloud of Christ who is in Heauen and in the Sacrament at once One body can agree with many places by diuine dispensation Requisit's necessary to a worthy receiuing of Christs body and bloud in the Sacrament THe Euchariste is the (a) The blood of Christ shed vnto remission of sinnes is the proper legacy of the new Testament according to Christs owne words set down 1. Cor. 11. This Chalice is the nevv Testament in my blood legacy of the new Testament vnto eternall life that Christ bequeathed to his Church in a Sacrament of his body and blood the night before he suffered his passion in the presence of witnesses without exception which were his Apostles The same body and blood that Christ offered in a sacrifice on the cross visibly to the redeeming of man kind vnto liberty he left in a Sacrament vnder the elements of bread and wine invisibly to the feeding of man vnto eternall life In the bestowing of this legacy Christ who is faithfull in all he promiseth fulfilled the promise he had made long afore and which is set down Io. 6. (b) Christ Ioan. 6. promising and recommending the Sacrament of his body and blood said
tempus Iudex vice Christi cogitatur Because due obedience is not exhibited to Christ's Vicar and the Chaire by our lords voice founded on S. Peter As in the old law schisms so in the new law heresies spring vp The Childrē of Israël fell into schisms when they fell away from their due Obedience to the Chaire of Moyses and Christians fall into heresies as oft as they rise against the Chaire of S. Peter coyning or following vnauthorised nouelties whereby Christian souls are misled into most desperate precipices of errours in regard whereof I haue been mou'd to write a Theology conform to the ancient Cycli and weights of the holy Churches sanctuary that is to set forth a whole body of Christian doctrine built vpon Scriptures Traditions Councils and Fathers which deserue to be prefer'd before Schollars of new Notions that is Christian people ought to adhere conforme their conciences to and rely their eternity rather on those then these which is the Counsell that the great S. Austin guies in his 2. Booke against Julian the Pelagian Bishop who had brocht new opinions to the preiudice of souls exhorting all Christians to regard rather the learning of the holy Fathers which flourished in the precedent ages and the constant and vniuersall practice of the Catholicke Church then the prophane nouelties vented and spred by the Pelagians Saying Hos antiquos Patres oportet vt Christiani populi vestris prophanis nouitatibus anteponant eisque potius quam vobis eligant adherere My lord herein lies the sole intent of these conceptions which I present you with and vnder your authority aduenture into publick view vnto aduantaging such as are piously sober d Secundum S. Aug. l. 14. de Trinit c. 1. munns Theologiae est pijs opitulari veritatem contra impios defendere and to defend the truth against such as are impiously wanton This is the ayme of my Theologicall discourses and the height of my desires is but this that they may be receiu'd into your Lordships protection which is ground warrantable enough to gaine them credit in regard of the high measure of knowledge which is extraordinary in you beseeming a well studied diuine as appears by your own writings which together with your other gifts of nature and grace renders you admired by all that know your Lordship aright Besides that which alone might embolden me to address these endeauors vnto your Lordship is your eminent nobility The best blood that is in any English subiect run's in your Lordships veins as euidence your paternall and maternall descents from the most renown'd and ancient Houses of Pembrock Northumberland and Derby Again your sundry noble allyances The lord Talbot that was Heire of Shrewsbury maryed your only Daughter a Lady of great vertue and Vere vidua A widow indeed hauing for aboue these 20. yeares continued in her widow hood notwithstanding her Ladyships youth person birth and great doury which made her the ambition of many noble Suitours Moreouer your Lordships onely and most hopefull son marryed to the most accomplished in honour obligingness sweetnes and piety the lady Elizabeth Daughter to Edward Lord Marquess of Worcester which brings forth also an alliance with the most illustrious House of Norfolke Arundell and Surrey Since I am fallen vpon your eminent Nobility has not your owne Lady much added thereto if your House were without an ample series of renowned progenitors might not your posterity haue a glorious Rise from her Ladyship whose eminent vertues haue rendered her memory blessed Nobilitas sola est atque vnica virtus Besides has not that gallant Person the lord Crauen her Ladyships Brother added something of greatnes to your posterity whose braue and gallant actiōs performed a broad in foraine parts haue gain'd much honour to his Country Moreouer the rising of that family is honorable the supream prouidence haueing brought it to the height of Eminence which it now happely enioyes as the same prouidence e Aug. l. 5. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 15. profitetur Deum terrenam gloriam excellentissimi Imperij cōcessisse bonis artibus Romanorum id est vt ipsemet interpretatur virtutibus quibus ad tantam gloriam nitebantur extended the Empyre of the ancient Romans in regard of Morall vertues which were eminent in your ladies Father and Mother the Raisers of it for as much as their zeale to the law of nature that is to do Iustice giuing to euery one what is euery on 's own and to shew mercy vnto the distressed feeding the hungry and cloathing the naked rendered them admired of such as knew them and according to holy Scriptures God exalted the Midwiues of the Hebrew women and made them houses Exod. 1. For their complyance to the law of nature in preseruing of innocent Babes which the Tyrant of Fgypt had commanded them to kill and since I am fallen vpon Gods merveilous rewarding of morall good works in confirmation of this truth I might produce conuincing examples in our own Country where very many in these times through a supream prouidence are aduanc'd to honours dignities and eminent offices that is God hath built them new Houses of nobility or encreased the glory of the old for preseruing loyalty to their king which is the law of nature written in their hearts they feared God and honoured his annoynted against the commandement of the Tyrant of England and therefore are exalted and truly vpon this score the supream prouidence hath built his Grace the Duke of Albermarle a more glorious House thē any subiect in the Christian world this day enioys in as much as through a happy managing of his loyalty he carries the name not onely of Paterpatriae but likewise of Pater Caesaris hauing preseru'd both Caesar and his Countries In consequence of the premises his Maties Catholick subjects that with the effusion of their blood and loss of their Estates haue cherefully performed that duty of nature in order to loyalty may hope that a speciall prouidence in good time will make for them Houses of Ease which shall be the daily prayer of MY LORD YOVR HONORS Most humble and most obedient Seruant GEO. LEYBVRN PREFACE TO THE COVNTRY-MISSIONARY SR Although these holy Characters so named because they describe and set forth the holy Mysteries of Christian Religion containe Theology but compendiously dressed vp neuertheless vvant noe Requisits either essentiall or necessary thereto being built on the foundation of holy Scriptures Traditions Councils and Fathers vvherin lies the consistency of true Theology vvhich as the pillar of fire led the Israëlits by night in their vvay to the land of promise so in as much as it carries the lights of the best Antiquity shevvs Christians their vvay thorovv the darke Mysteries of Christian faith as by night vnto an heauenly Inheritance prefigured in the land of promise that is God hath instituted this diuine science to direct Gouernours of souls in the pursuance of their pastorall function vvhich
him onely shalt thou serue the Greek has 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which importes supream worship proper onely to God in regard of his diuine excellency and to giue this kind of worship to a creature is idolatry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in English diuine or supream adoration proper to God only for it is his glory * Mat. 4. Dominum Deum tuum adorabis illi soli seruies vnde illa scriptura gloriam meam alteri non dabo which he will not part with in so much that whosoeuer shall giue diuine or supream worship to any Creature as an Idolater turning the proper glory of God who is all things to an Idoll (b) The Apostle 1. Cor. 8 saith We knovv that an Idoll is nothing in the vvorld that is nothing as to increated excellency for which it is adored Notwithstanding all this supream adoration is due to Christ euen as man for Christ hath not (c) The Churches Councils and ancient Fathers condemn Nestorius for asserting two persons in Christ and likewise his inference from thence viz. that Christ lays claim to two distinct adorations one person as man and another as God (d) According to S. Chrysostome hom 3. in Epis ad Hebr. all the Angels adore the humanity of Christ in as much as it is vnited to the diuine word and hom 5 ... t is a great and marueilous thing saith he that our flesh vnited to the vvord should sit aboue and be adored by the Angels Arch-Angels Cherubins c. his humanity together with his diuinity is vnited in one and the same personality so that the singular person of Christ is the support of both natures and being a diuine increated excellency necessarily claimes exhibition of diuine worship neither is it requisite that excellency for which worship is offered should be in each part of the whole that is worshiped For example Solomon was honoured as to the whole singular man for wisdome that was in his soul and not in his flesh The other Religious or sacred adoration or worship in respect of superna urall created excellency called by vse which is the best arbitrator of words from the Greek Dulia is a midle worship between the supream and ciuill far exceeding this and infinitly exceeded by the other and is due to speciall friends seruants and Saints of God in regard of supernaturall created graces supernaturally cōferred on them (e) Nabuchodonosor adored Daniel Dan. 2. Abdias adored Elias 3. Reg. 18. Abraham adored three Angels which appeared vnto him in the form of young men Gen. 18. Balaam adored an Angel Num. 22. and Bethsabee bowed her face and adored the king 1. Reg. which Sacred Texts are not meant of diuine honour but of Religious worship which is due to seuerall creatures in order to their seuerall graces dignities and excellencies namely to Angels because of their supernaturall gifts and to other things and places in regard of their relations Nabuchodonosor adored Daniel for his supernaturall gift of interpreting Mysteries and consequently with religious adoration neither is it as to reason credible that so great a king as Nabuchodonosor should worship Daniel a priuate man and a captiue with ciuill worship in respect of ciuill or worldly dignity In like manner Abdias a Chief Prince of the kingdom where he liued religiously adored Elias vpon the same score that is for his supernaturall gift of prophecy and Abraham bowing himselfe towards the ground adored three Angels religiously doubtles in regard of their supernaturall excellency and charge for it cannot be conceiued that he should adore them with ciuill adoration since he had no ciuill conuersation with them for the Angels were Citisens of Heauen and Abraham only a Citisen of the earth besides the Angels were in possession of eternall life and Abraham a passenger only aspiring thereto in consequence of which the Angels were exalted to an eminent degree of excellency aboue him for otherwise Abraham ought not to haue adored them adoration taken in the proper sense being due only to exceeding excellency But though God will not part with his glory vnto any creature whatsoeuer that is will not part with his supream and diuine worship neuertheless be is wel pleased that honour or worship be giuen to his speciall seruants freinds and Saints conform to and agreeing with their conditions respectiuely * Luc. 10. qui vos audit me audit qui vos spernit me spernit Mat. 10. Ioan. 13. qui vos suscipit mo suscipit As he counteth himselfe despised when these are despised so he esteemeth himselfe honoured when they are honoured for their supernaturall created gifts which himselfe is sol Author of And indeed Christian Catholicks doe honour Saints (e) S. Hierome Epis 53. teacheth that we honour Relicks of Martyrs with intēt to adore him whose Martyrs they are we Honour the seruants that the honour exhibited to the seruants may-redound to the lord Again S. Ambrose ser 6. affirmes that as often as we celebrate the memories of Martyrs we are bound to render them worship since by the effusion of their blood they haue obtained for us safety and their Relicks with intent to honour God thereby whose Saints they are they honour his seruants to the end the honour of his seruants may returne back to him who is their Lord and Master that gaue them excellent graces for which they ought to be reuerenced religiously Lastly Religious and sacred adoration or worship as to the manner of exhibiting it is of two sorts one absolute in respect of excellency that is in and proper-to the subject adored and such is the forementioned adoration exhibited to God and his Saints the other Religious and sacred adoration or worship is relatiue offered in relation and for extrinsecall excellency And (f) The second Council of Nice Act. 7. in the definition concerning faith commandes exhibition of honorable worship in order to The venerable and life-giuing Cross so the ancient Fathers in that Council stile the Cross of Christ as to this kind of adoration the representatiue Cross of Christ is religiously worshipped for Christs sake whom it represent's dying and the (g) S. Damascene Orat. de Imag. saith that Christians in regard they are no longer vnder the Pedagogue ship or bondage of the old law and thereby less inclin'd to idolatry giue reuerence and honour to pictures which he nameth the books of the vnlearned because of the relations they haue to their prototypes and in deed exhibition of religious worship to pictures is approu'd by the second Council of Nice Act. 4. from the words of the bishop of Neopoleos Cypri which are these Euen as the book of the lavv is vvorship'd and not the parchement or inck thereof but the diuine vvord contain'd therein so vve vvorship the picture of Christ vvithout vvorshiping the vvood or colours there of Image of his blessed Mother for her sake whom it represents liuing * Concil Nice
Eucharist sacrifice of the Mass sacrifice of the Altar The name Eucharist comes of the Greek Eucharistia that signifies thanksgiuing for Christ in celebrating his vnbloody oblation the night before his death gaue thanks to his diuine Father both in generall for all the benefits conferred vpon all mankind as in particular also for that one singular grace wherby he was impowred as man to iustitute so diuine a mistery So that vndoubtedly by a speciall prouidence the name Eucharist is appropriated to the sacrifice of Christ his body and blood to the end that euen the name therof might excite Priests whos office and function it is to ofter that sacrifice to imitate the thanksgiuing that Christ exhibited in the enterprise of this mistery The name Mass comes of Missa which is latine doubtless for if it had been an Hebrew word the vse therof would haue remained and continued among the greek Fathers as well as of Alleluya Osanna Amen which be Hebrew words But none of the Greek Fathers vse this term Missa and consequently it is a denomination which the people of the latine Church haue imposed to express the sacrifice of Christ his body and blood and signifies the same thing that dimissio in latine that is to say dismissing or sending away for in the primitiue Church it was an ordinary ceremony practised by the Deacon to cry aloud twice in the Church during the time of celebrating diuine seruice Ite Missa est once in the begining of the mistery or sacrifice wherin the Catecumens were not suffered to be present being Belieuers vnbaptised signifying therby that all such should depart out of the Church and once again in the end of the said mistery or sacrifice intimating therby the dimissing or sending away of the faithfull baptised This signification of the name Missa in English Mass and this originall grownd therof is approued by the vniform judgment of the maior part of orthodox writers Howeuer the appropriation of the said name as to signifying the seruice of the mistery or sacrifice of Christs body and blood is deriuable euen from the primitiue successors of the Apostles who (m) S. Clement that succeeded S. Peter in the supream gouernment of the Church composed a Missale and in his writingmentioneth the word Missa Mass And S. Denys did not onely write of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy but of the Mass also And whereas sectaries do not ascribe that work vnto him it is without warrantable ground howeuer whosoeuer was the Author thereof t' is certain that the Church of God hath approu'd it for the first Council of Nice stileth the Author Magnum which Title he had giuen vnto him afore and S. John Damascene calleth him Magnum Theologum à great diuine but all antiquity make mention of the Mass For example Alexander that was the fourth Pope after S. Peter Epis 1. ad orthodox And Sixtus that succeeded him according to S. Damascene in the life of the same Alexander S. Telesphorus seth forth an ordinance that commanded Priests to say 3. Masses in the feast of Christs Natiuity S. Soter prohibited all Priests to eate or drinke before they said their Masses S. Steuen the Pope vnder the persecution of Valerian the Emperour was kill'd at Mass S. Felix Ep. 2. ad Episcopos Galliae mentioneth saying of Masses vpon the Tombs of Martyrs S. Hierom. in cap. 11. Prouerb affirmes that the soules of the faithfull departed receiue comfort and helpe by the celebration of Mass and S. Austin Epis 49. tom 2. ad Deo gratias c. 3. teacheth that the sacrifice which Christians now offer is euidenced both by Euangelicall and propheticall Scripture besides this Catholick assertion is taught in sundry Councils namely in the Nicen. cap. 14. Carth. 2. can 4. So that it is a manifest weakness in sectaries to deny a doctrine that all antiquity by vnanimous consent plainly assert vse the name Missa and the signification therof namely S. Dionys S. Clement S. Euarist S. Alexander S. Sixtus S. Telesphorus S. Higinus S. Soter S. Fabianus S. Stephanus S. Felix S. Syluester S. Damascenus With whom were contemporary the great lights of the Church S. Basil S. Gregory Nazianzenus S. Ambro. S. Chrysost S. Hieron S. Epiphan S. Cyrill S. August wher vnto may be added sundry generall Councills wherof the vnquestionable testimonies and records are enough to euidence the truth of this primatiue doctrine so that with great reason it may be much wondered at how the People of England came to looke with so envious an eye vpon the Mass as to count it Idolatry since the practice therof is agreeing with the full and euident Testimonies of all the primitiue Fathers And as to the Realm of England euen from the first plantation of Christianity setled therein Mass constantly continued the sole publick worship or seruice that was resorted vnto till the ciuill power of Parliament in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth put it down vpon what design of auarice liberty and ambition is needless to express But in the room of the Mass was substituted a new outward seruice named the book of Common prayer and sett forth in the vulgar tongue wheras since the first age for 1500. Years not one example can be produced of any Christian kingdom which had not for the common publick seruice of Religion the Mass and that celebrated in Hebrew Greek or Latin neither were the holy Euangels wrirten in other language then Hebrew Greek and Latine which are the three holy tongues The Hebrew was sanctified from the beginning of the world God euen then conferring with Adam in the Hebrew tongue and teaching him the names of each liuing creature Gen. 2. Besides all three were sanctified in the death and Passion of Christ the son of God the inscription ouer his Cross Iesus of Nazareth king of the Iews being written in Hebrew Greek and Latine letters and prophesied * Septuaginta super psal 56.57.58 ne disperdas Dauid in tituli inscriptionē of long afore This doctrine does not preiudice what S. Paul writeth 1. Cor. 14 saying That he that speaketh a strange language edifieth himselfe but he that prophesieth edifieth the Church of God I would that you all speake with tongues but rather that you prophesied For it is conuincingly euident that the Apostle neither by these or any other words of that chapter commandeth the vse of the vulgar tongue in the Church seruice For so there had been no need of prophesying that is of interpreting vnto edification exhortation or instruction which the Apostle expresly enjoyneth saying That if any man speak a strange tongue let it be by two or at the most by three and that by course and let one interpret Besid's it is plain that S. Paul there treateth of the miraculous guifts or strange tongues infused both into men and women in the first begining of the Church and not intelligible without the miraculous guift of interpretation also and consequently he cannot mean the
immortality of the soul vsing that scripture-testimony I am God of Abraham God of Isaack God of Iacob and subsumeth thus there is no God of the dead but of the liuing arguing therby that the dead rise again since their souls doe not die with their bodyes Besides it is obseruable (o) Oachinus an Apostata Capucin cutteth an argument out of the cited Chap. Macchabae 2. against Purgatory arguing thus If there were a Purgatory though there were no Resurrection of the dead neuertheless prayers offered for the dead might not be in vaiue because the souls thereby might obtain deliuerance from their pain 's that Ochinus an Apostat Capucin fryer abused the fore mentioned scripture-testimony 2. Macchab. 12. to destroy Purgatory and after the very same way of arguing Mr. White abuseth it to ouerthrow a catholick assertion that teacheth the deliuerance of souls out of Purgatory in vertue of holy Churches suffrages Likewise sundry hereticks haue made vse of the same Text to weaken the authority of the books of Machabies pretending that the words If those that were shain should not rise again containe a manifest errour namely that soul's die with their bodies and rise again wherby is plainly euident that it is no difficult business for a man that is wantonly ambitious to be singular in teaching to cut out of scripture abortiue interpretations and to fit them to his vain vnquiet fancy by which he is biassed But how happens it that Mr. White alledgeth scripture-authority vnto the deteyning of good souls in Purgatory till the generall Resurrection * Mr. White in Dimenso 2. affirmamus itaque nos euideter conuinci ex hoc testimonio non solus poenis Purgatorij animas ante Resurrectionem and to lay claime to euidence in his deduction from thence It is not his custome to fly to that sanctuary for protection of his Nouelties nor to acknowledg euidence enough in the scriptures themselues to determine any controuersy for he expresly writeth that It were as ridiculous to seeke the decision of controuersyes out of the Bible as to cut with a Beatle or knock with a straw howeuer it seemes he hath a good minde to cloath his doctrines in the scripture colour's when that holy liuery how vnhandsomly soeuer put on may serue him for a disguise From the premises is euidenced how little reason Mr. White hath to boast of the two mentioned scripture-Testimonies viz. 2 Machab 12. 1. Cor. 15. vauntingly saying These two texts therfore remaine inviolable as first not to be resisted without manifest violence secondly pointing at the very knot of the controuersy that souls once engaged are not capable of that eminent good of being deliuered from their pain 's before the Resurrection And from these pitifull inferences he passeth vnto other scripture-Testimonies wherby he endeauour's to proue that euen blessed souls haue need of prayers but of his vnnaturall and irrationall arguments as to this point the Character of the Church triumphant shall giue euidence enough CHAR. XVI OF HOLY ORDER THE CONTENTS As God in the old law constituted superiour and inferiour Ministers to serue in the Temple so in the new law he hath appointed Bishops Priests Deacons Sub-Deacons c. one more eminent then an other to dispense diuine misteries in the Church of Christ Though euery Bishop is a Priest neuertheless enery Priest is not a Bishop to confer the Sacraments of holy Order and Confirmation is proper to Episcopall authority onely there be seuen Ecclesiasticall Orders taken in the proper sense corresponding to as many distinct functions exercised in relation to the celebrating of the holy Euchariste clericall tonsure can make noe good claim to an Ecclesiasticall Order taken in the proper sense Episcopacy in an holy Order the noblest part of the Churches Hierarchy a proper Sacrament and imprint's a speciall character in the soul of him that is ordain'd a true Bishop Bishops and Priests down from the Apostles till these tymes embraced a single life answeres to sundry Arguments made in fauour of Priest's Marriages HOly Order taken in the restrained Ecclesiasticall sense (a) 1. Timoth. 4. Neglect not the grace S. Paul saith that is in thee vvhich vvas giuen thee by prophesy and imposition of hand 's of Priesthood S. Chrysostom hom 13. commenting vpon this sacred Text affirmes that the Apostle meant by imposition of hand 's the Sacrament of holy Order which Timothy receiu'd of him after the same manner Theodoret interprets the sacred Text 2. Timot. 1. Stirr vp the grace of god vvhich is in thee by the imposition of mine hands That is by my ordaining thee who am a Bishop and S. Ambrose writing vpon the same Text implyes in the imposition of hands all the outward actions and words which were done and said ouer himselfe when he was ordain'd a Priest Besides in the primitiue Church when a Bishop confer'd the holy Order of Priesthood he vsed to bless the party ordain'd lye his hands on his head and giue him power to offer sacrifice for the liuing and the dead in the name of our lord that is in the room of Christ In consequence of the premises since in the ordination of Priests grace is giuen by an outward sensible sign holy Order is a Sacrament of the new law and so is desin'd by the Council's of Florence In the Decree of Pope Eugenius And Trent sess 23. can 4. is a proper Sacrament of the new law whereby a reasonable creature of the male sex * Baptismus requiritur in eo qui ordinatur quia baptismus in re suscept us est Janua aliorū Sacramentorum cuius proinde characterem character Ordinis supponit vt patet ex cap. si quis presbyter and baptised is ordained and enabled to perform the ministery of the Euchariste or in the celebration therof to serue after a speciall manner (b) Diaconesses mentioned Epis ad Timoth. could make no more claim to an Ecclesiasticall Order taken in the proper sense then the Religions men and women of those dayes being they had no power or iurisdiction as to the accomplishing or administring of a Sacrament And although Deanship Arch-Deaconship Priorship and Abbat-ship lay claim to something of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction neuertheless by vertue of their institution and consecration they receiue no power to administer a Sacrament or to serue specially in the administration therof and t' is the same as to Arch Bishops and Patriarchs considered precisely in order to the dignity they haue ouer and aboue the Order of Bishops in vertue of his ordination * Hieron Epis 57. quae est ad Euagrium vt sciamus inquit traditiones Apostolicas sumptas de veteri Ecclesia puta ex Vaticinio Jsaiae cap. 6. Assumam exijs in Sacerdotes Leuitas quod Aaron filij eius Leuita in Templo fuerunt hoc sibi Epistopi Presbyteri Diaconi vendicant in Ecclesia S. Hieron locum Isaiae intelligit ad literam de Apostolis