a Metropolitan and his Synod of Bishops they were both ejected by the 16 Canon of Antioch which was read and approved in this general Council viz. That if any get into a vacant See by the choice of all the People he shall be ejected if he came not in by the Judgment of a Metropolitan and his Synod (k) Concil Chalced. Act. 11. Bin. ibid. p. 301. And it was so known an usage for the Clergy and People of a vacant Church to petition the Metropolitan for a Bishop that in a contest whether Nicomedia or Nice were the Metropolis of Basilinopolis Eunomius of Nicomedia saith he can shew the suffrages of the Citizens of Basilinopolis requesting a Bishop of him and challenges the Bishop of Nice to shew where they desired a Bishop from him or his predecessors (l) Concil Chalced. Act. 13. Bin. ibid. p. 309. and the cause was for want of such proof determined for Eunomius Yet all this must be so understood as not to exclude the Emperor in the greater Sees especially where the Elections were made either by his Directions or at least confirmed afterward by his Authority Of which this Council affords us two instances one in their Letter to the Clergy of Alexandria certifying them of the deposition of Dioscorus and charging to secure that which belonged to that Church and give an account thereof to him that by the will of God and the consent of the Emperor should be ordained Bishop of that great City (m) Concil Chalced. Act. 3. Bin. ibid. p. 214. And Bassianus shews that his election to Ephesus was confirmed by the Sacred Letters of the most religious Emperor (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Act. 11. p. 300. but in lesser Sees except in case of mutinies they rarely concerned themselves either in the East or in the West After the Empire was divided and one of the Emperors lived in the West he likewise interposed in the choice of the Bishops of eminent places as we have shewed concerning Milan and Rome before and we add now that the younger Valentinian confirmed the peaceable Election of Pope Siricius by a particular Rescript yet extant in Baronius (o) Nostro cum gaudio memoratus Episcopus ipse Siricius permaneat Vid. Baron Annal. An. 385. Tom. 4. p. 435. And 't is probable while the Emperors had any power at Rome they generally confirmed the Elections there which Platina confesseth (p) Platin. vita Sylverij An. 537. p. and that confession of Faith which the Popes upon their Election sent to the Emperors of the East before the Goths had conquered Rome (q) Foelicis 3. Ep. 2. ad Aug. Zenon Bin. ut supr p. 448. Ciâ—c An. 483. shews they desired their confirmation although a little before Odoacer King of Italy had made a Law that no Pope of Rome should be chosen without the advice and consent of those Kings (r) An. 482. Vid. Bin. Tom. 2. p. 525. which Law a spurious Council under Symmachus pretends to repeal (s) An. 502. Vid. Notaâ— Bin. in Syn. 4. Roman p. 527. But there is no credit to be given to that repeal because Symmachuâ— himself came into the Chair by Order of Theodoric a Gothic King of Italy who also drove away Laurentius his Competitor (t) Theodor. lect collect lib. 2. p. 186. Zonaras vit Anast T. 3. p. 121. And Symmachus could not modestly kick down the Ladder by which he had ascended nor durst he have curbed the Gothick Kings who then used the same Power that the Emperors had exercised before and particularly in Papal Elections insomuch that when Boniface the second made afterwards an attempt to exclude these Kings from Elections upon second thoughts he revokes that Canon and owns himself guilty of Treason for making it (u) Papa se reum confessus est majestatis Vita Bonif 2. Bin. p. 643. Ar. 530. And upon his Death the Romans came to Athalarick and petitioned for a Pope and he made Laws to regulate future Elections (w) An. 532. Epist Reg. Athalaric Bin. ibid. pag. 653. which was in the time of Pope John the second whose next Successor but one was Sylverius who as Platina saith was created Pope by the command of King Theodatus without staying for a Decree saith Anastasius whereas before the Emperors Authority interposed not that of these Kings but now Theodates's Threats were more prevalent than any rational Decree Platina ut supr And Roman Forgeries part 4. p. 267 268. But Vigilius when Belisarius had restored the Eastern Emperors Authority in Italy coming to be Pope by the favour of Justinian and his Empress set up the Eastern Emperors Title to order and confirm Elections which they did till the Gothick Princes again prevailed It is too tedious a Story to relate the particulars and Bellarmine as well as Pamelius have saved me the labour by confessing that this Power remained either in those Eastern Emperors the Gothick Kings or the Emperors of the West for above 600 year together (x) Bellarm. Apol. pro resp ad libr. regis cap. 6. Pamel not in Ep. 52. Cyprian that is until Pope Calixtus wrested it out of the hands of the Emperor Henry the fifth about the year 1120 a fair time if we reckon from Constantine the great as we have proved we may to make good a right even by Prescription being about 800 year together But if any more Evidence were requisite the Authors who writ about Investitures do abundantly prove this and Aventinus positively affirms That Kings in that Age chose whom they pleased into the College of Bishops when any vacancy happened (y) Avent Ann. l. 4. p. â—78 and adds The Popes were then chosen by the Priests Gentry and Commons and the Election was good if the Emperor approved it (z) Idem Annal. lib. 5. p. 446. But the Empire declining and the Papacy encreasing in power the latter shook off the imperial Authority to confirm the Possessor of St. Peter's Chair §. 2. But of old not only Emperors but all Kings in their own Dominions claimed and used a power of nominating or approving all their own Bishops as soon as they became Christians I shall instance chiefly in the Kings of Spain and France who being descended of those Nations that conquered part of the Roman Empire exercised the same Authority in Episcopal Elections that the Emperors had formerly done In Spain before the Gothick Kings received the Faith the Bishops met in a Synod had a Petition from the Clergy and People and they made the Election according to the custom of that early Age as appears by a Letter of those Spanish Bishops met on such an occasion writ to Pope Hilary about the year 462 (a) Omnis clerus plebs ejusdem civitatis optimi plurimi provinciales Irenaeum successorem à nobis speraverunt Epist Episc Tarracon 2. ad Hilar. Bin. T. 2. p. 425. But when the Kings of
advanced to greater Commands and larger Rewards that the other legionary Soldiers may with all labour and zeal strive to become capable of those high Employments (x) Gradatim promoti sunt ad Officia ea quibus magnae utilitates Honores constitutae sunt ut caeteri Milites omni labore ac devotione contenderent ad tanta praemta pâ—rvenire Veget. de re mil. lib. 2. cap. 8. Which was also Julius Caesar's practice to take the Centurions who had behaved themselves valiantly and advance them into higher stations as a just reward of their Courage and Conduct (y) Caesar de Bell. Galic lib. 6. pag. 262. The like care was also taken by the Emperor Justinian in bestowing Civil Offices for he saith We always provide to promote every one according to his diligence and deserts to better place and greater dignities (z) Semper providimus unumquemque secundum labores suos ad meliores gradus majores dignitates producere L. 2. cap. de Praef. praet Afric And so it ought to be in the Church the best Lay-men should be made Deacons and the best Deacons should be advanced by Degrees to be Priests and Bishops for none will adorn those higher Orders but such as have behaved themselves well in the Lower for he that is faithful in little will be faithful also in much (a) Luk. xvi 10. Thus we have considered these particulars as they are motives to the Bishop and all the Congregation to make these requests with great devotion for the newly Ordained Persons because if they can prevail with God to give them such Grace they will prove a credit to their Office a blessing and an honour to the Church But the Deacon himself should consider these Petitions so as to excite him to endeavour vigorously to be such as they pray he may be humble and modest in his Carriage and Temper constant and diligent in his Ministrations regular and strictly Canonical in his Life for here are all sorts of motives laid before him to encourage his resolutions and endeavours herein the Spiritual Motives are the Peace of his own Conscience the Confirming of his Hope and Faith in Christ and the securing his perseverance as well as his eternal reward the Temporal Motives are his being an Ornament to the Church an Honour to his Order while he remains of it and his deserving justly to be promoted in time to the highest Office in Christ's Church and St. Paul hath taught us if we desire the Office of a Bishop only as a greater opportunity to do more good it is very lawful To rise by these means is commendable and it is an innocent yea a laudable ambition to act well in this inferiour Station that we may be called to a higher Finally These requests are of so great importance to the Persons Ordained to the People among whom they are to Officiate and to the whole Church that they are asked by the most powerful of all intercessions through Jesus Christ c. Yea and it is so likely that he who hath called them to this Office will qualifie them for it that as if these Petitions were heard already and sure of acceptance if the Persons prayed for put no bar that we give thanks before hand and conclude the Collect with this Doxology To whom be glory c. Amen §. 5. The Last Prayers and Rubrick The Office is closed with a Prayer which is very proper for such Acts as these that are begun continued and ended in God's Name and with that Benediction which belongs to the Communion that is always celebrated at Ordinations but these are both explained before in their proper places So that I shall only observe the last Rubrick which admonishes the Deacons to continue a whole year in this Order and gives this reason for it that they may be perfect and expert in Ecclesiastical Administrations before they become Priests which reason is so evident and convincing that all Churches have founded such a like Order upon it for the Custom hath every where been to keep the Deacons for some time in that Office before they go higher Hence the Canons here (b) Can. 32. Eccles Angl. and elsewhere strictly forbid the ordaining any one both Priest and Deacon in one day (c) Concil Rom. II. sub Sylvestr An. 324. Bin. Tom. 1. p. 255. Concil Trid. Sess 23. Can. 13. ib. p. 390. and a great Council declares that every Clergy-man must stay the time appointed by Law in each Order before he be advanced higher (d) Concil 8 Constantin Can. 17. Bev. T. 1. p. 358. Yet in several Ages of the Church the time between these Orders hath been various Of old it was much longer for Epiphanius Bishop of Pavia was eight years a Deacon before he was made Priest (e) In Diaconatu à vigesimo incipiens octo annos explevit Ennod. vita Epiph and we read of others who continued fifteen years in this Order (f) Gregor Turon l. 4. c. 6. p. 128. An Ancient Roman Council is said to enjoyn a Deacon to stay five years and a Priest three before they be removed higher (g) Concil Rom. II. sub Syvestr ut supr c Later Councils agree with us and fix the time to one year (h) Concil Trid. Sess 23. Can. 14. Bin. T. 4. p. 390. Concil Aquil. An. 1596. ibid. p. 580. But so as both they and we leave it to the Bishops prudence who upon reasonable causes that is the extraordinary merit of the Person the evident profit of the Church or some urgent necessity may Ordain some Men sooner Though ordinarily it is much better to make them stay the year of probation in this first Order and sometimes 't is an argument of Mens pride and too much forwardness to offer themselves sooner Besides this keeps up that Apostolical and Primitive Distinction of the three Orders which by no means ought to be broken or confounded and perhaps it might not be amiss if such as are Ordained Deacons only to read and do inferiour Offices in Cathedrals or large Parishes were always kept in that Degree not only to make the difference of Orders more visible and to make ours more conformable to the Primitive Church but to prevent that scandal which some of these Men of ordinary Parts and mean Education have frequently brought on the Venerable Order of Priesthood To conclude the Office of a Deacon is by no means contemptible but very honourable in it self and those who are of this Order must endeavour so to live as to raise its reputation and then they may be very serviceable to the Church even in that Station which is a good step towards an higher Degree whereof I am next to treat A DISCOURSE ON THE OFFICE For making PRIESTS Where it differs from the former A Preface concerning the Dignity of this Order §. 1. THE Bishops since the Apostles deaths being the highest Officers in the Church of Christ is
a sufficient demonstration of the honour of the Priesthood that it approaches so nigh to the Episcopal Dignity as to cause divers of the Holy Fathers to affirm there is not much difference between a Presbyter and a Bishop (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. Chrys Hom. 11. in 1 Epist ad Timoth. And St. Hierom speaking of their several Administrations asks what a Bishop can do which a Priest cannot He only excepts Ordination there (b) Quid enim facit exceptâ Ordinatione Episcopus quod Presbyter non facit Hier. ad Euagr. Ep. 84. p. 512. and Confirmation in another place (c) Orthodox ap Hieron Diac. ad v. Lucif T. 2. p. 187. Which are the only eminent Acts that Antiquity did as we also do appropriate to the Bishops The Schoolmen to advance the supposed power of their Priests in consecrating the Sacrament which they call making the Body and Blood of Christ generally hold that Bishops differ from them only in Dignity not in Order (d) Sunt alia quaedam non Ordinum sed dignitatum nomina c. Lomb. 4. Sent. dist 22. c. 10. fol. 186. D. Thom. in 4 Sent. dist 24. qu. 3. ar 2. ita Bonavent ibid. Tostat in Matth. 16. q. 74. By which they do not mean with Aerius in Epiphanius that there is no difference in degree between them (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Panar haer 75. because they freely allow Bishops a Primacy of Dignity among Priests and a superiority over them only they affirm there is no new formal character impressed on a Priest when he is advanced to the Episcopal Chair and therefore they call it the Ordination of a Priest but the Consecration of a Bishop But we have proved before there are three distinct Orders so that we think the Schools distinguish two nicely and must assert the Bishops are a different Order but so as the Fathers teach that Priests are not much below them but joyned with them in the Sacerdotal honour (f) Presbyteros cum Episcopo sacerdotali honore conjunctos Cypr. ad Luc. ep 58. The Apostle St. Peter writing to those of this Order calls himself their Fellow-Presbyter (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. v. 1. from whence the Bishops when they writ to Priests used to give them that very same Title of Fellow-Presbyter and Brother even down to the time of St. Chrysostom and St. Augustin (h) Fratri Compresbytero Sixto Aug. Ep. 104 vid. Chrys Hom. 1. in Ep. ad Philip. yea in our Ordination Office the Bishop speaking to the Priests calls them Brethren and the College of Presbyters writing to St. Cyprian their Bishop call him Brother (i) Vid. Cypr. Epist 26. Nor was their Dignity only exprest by Titles of mutual respect but the Priests were really the Councellors of their Bishop and Assessors with them as St. Ignatius speaks (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Epist ad Tral another calls the Assembly of Presbyters the Senate of the Church (l) Habemus in Ecclesiâ senatum nostrum coetum Presbyterorum Hier. in Jesai c. 3. and saith they and the Bishops ought to rule the Church in common (m) In commune debent Ecclesiam regere Id. com ep ad Tit. For which Reason they sat with the Bishops of old in Councils n and also voted with them as is manifest by the Tiles and Subscriptions of very many Synods (m) Concil Elliber in Praefat. passim yea of later times when Priests grew very numerous they had their Procurators or Proxies even in great Councils as in that of Lyons (o) Matth. Par. An. 1215. pag. 272. and so they have still in our Convocations Within the Church they sat down as soon as the Bishop came in on seats placed round the Altar (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Laod. can 56. Bev. Tom. 1. p. 479. Et Euseb l. 10. c. 4. and though his Seat was higher in publick yet in private he was commanded to treat them as his Collegues (q) Concil 4. Carthag can 35. Bin. T. 1. p. 589. and when the Bishop sat down he was not to suffer a Priest to stand beside him (r) Ibid. can 34. it being esteemed a great crime in any Bishop to despise them (s) Hieron adv Johan Hierosol cap. 2. For so long as the Bishop and his Presbyters lived together in Cities at or near the Mother Church he was obliged to consult them in all weighty affairs and always did so as we find in St. Cyprian and afterward when Christianity was setled and spread into the Country so that divers Priests were fixed in rural cures The Bishops still kept a College of Presbyters with them at their Cathedrals which doubtless was the Original of Deans and Chapters designed to be the standing Council of the Bishop But as to the particulars of old no Bishop might ordain any Clerks unless he had the consent of his Presbyters for they were to offer and propose to him such Persons as they judged fit for Holy Orders as may be collected from the first Council of Nice which decreed that the Presbyters ordained by Meletius should lose the Privilege of proposing and presenting the Names of such as they approved of (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. Syn. Nicaen Theodoret. lib. 1. c. 9. which supposes if their Ordination had been good this would have been their right Which is thus affirmed and described by Theophilus Alex. This shall be the method of Ordinations all the College of Priests shall consent and choose and then the Bishop shall examine them (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. Al. can 6. Bev. T. 2. p. 172. Yea the 4th Council of Carthage says expresly That a Bishop without the Counsel of his own Clergy shall not ordain any Clerk (x) Ut Episcopus sine consilio clericorum suorum clericos non ordinet Conc. 4. Carth. can 22. Bin. T. 1. pag. 589 and in that Council which was called against St. Chrysostom He was accused for making Ordinations without his Clergys consent which then was esteemed a great irregularity So it was secondly for a Bishop to hear any considerable Cause without the presence or determine it without the consent of his Presbyters (y) Ut Episcopus nullius causam audiat absque presentiâ clericorum suorum alioqui irrita erit Sententia Concil 4. Carth. can 23. Bin. ibid. Or if they did the Sentence they gave was to be void Yea the cause of an offending Bishop according to the old Canons must be tried before a joynt Commission of Bishops Priests and Deacons (z) Concil 2. Carthag can 10. Bin. ibid. p. 570. So Thirdly a Bishop could not degrade a Presbyter without the consent of a Synod (a) Concil Hispal 2. Can. 6. An. 619. Bin. T. 2. par 2. p. 334. wherein 't is known Presbyters were present The Canon Law allows not a Bishop to treat any Priest
a. b. and the same Author there hath collected divers instances of the same veneration given to and like ensigns of honour used by the Priests of several other Nations So that Clem. of Alexandr had reason to say That even down to his time among the most rational of the Barbarous Nations the race of Priests is kept up as a security to the Kingdom (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Al. ap Causab not in Suet. p. 167. And truly in those Ages there were not many more barbarous than the Northern People even our Ancestors the Britains Galls and ancient Germans whose Priests were called Druids or Druidren which our Saxons write Dritchten that is Lords as Lipsius gives us the Etymology (r) Lips Cent. 3. ad Belg. Ep. 44. to whom these People paid the highest honour and respect as Diodorus Siculus reports (s) Quos eximio honore dignantur Diod. Sicul. l. 5. c. 9. And Caesar who knew them very well saith there were two Orders of Nobility only among the ancient Gauls first the Druids and then the Knights the former being among them in great esteem judging all publick and private Causes distributing also rewards and punishments and over them was one chief Druid who had the supream Authority but all of them were exempted from War and Tribute and enjoyed an universal immunity (t) magnoque ii sunt apud eos honore fere de omnibus controversiis constituunt praeest unus qui summam inter eos habet autoritatem c. Caesar Bel. Gal. l. 6. p. 225 226. which character of them is confirmed by Tacitus (u) Tacit. de moribus Germ c. 7. p. 607 c. Pomponius Mela (w) Pomp. Mela l. 3. c. 2. and other Authors As for Strabo he seems to have hinted at Vossiu◠his derivation of Druids from Dru that is as we write it True (x) Vossius de idolol l 1. c. 35. or Faithful Men hence he says All account them the most just so that both publick and private judgments are trusted with them and they also determine matters of War and if they forbid a Battel already begun they immediately desist (y) Justissimi autem omnium opinione ideo privata publica judicia eorum fidei mandantur c. Strab. Geogr. l. 4. p. 137. The same Author also affirms that the Getae another of these Northern People had a Priest who was an associate with the King in Governing and had a title of Divinity (z) Id. ibid. l. 7. p. 208. and a later Writer mentions two other Nations of this Clime who honoured their Chief Priest no less than their King (a) Flaminem suum non minus quam regem venerantur Helmold de Rug. Sclav So that the honours now annexed to these Sacred Orders in these Northern and Western parts of the World (b) See the Bishop's right to vote in Capital Causes chap. 4. did not owe their beginning to Christianity but were annexed originally to such as were Priests from Pagan times as far as any memory remains and Christian Princes did not begin but continue their Dignity and Authority And particularly their freedom from Taxes was a Privilege enjoyed not only by the Druids but by the Egyptian Priests (c) Gen. xlvii 26. Joseph Antiq. l. 2. c. 4. by those of India (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porphyr de abst l. 4. §. 17. and Persia for the custom of his own Country moved Artaxerxes to exempt the Jewish Priests Levites c. from all Toll and Tribute (e) Ezra vii 22. vide quae Josephus notat de Ocho Tyranno Joseph an t l. 11. c. 7. who were also to enjoy the like Privilege by a Special Order of Julian the Apostate that they might be freer to pray for his prosperity (f) Julian Epist 25. p. 153. But of this more hereafter I should tire my Reader and my self if I should enlarge upon the honours and dignity of Priests among the more cultivated Greeks and Romans who had an incredible number of them many belonging to every one of their almost innumerable Gods and yet none of them wanting either maintenance or respect So that I shall only briefly instance in some of the principal among these Among the Greeks it was a special honour to make some very great and very eminent men Priests with the Title of the Chief of that Province where they were created Presidents of the Sacrifices such were those Asiarchae in the Acts (g) Act. xix 31. Quidam de principibus Asiae Vulg. Alii vert de primoribus Asiae which we translate the Chief of Asia That is the Chief Priests who held the Highest Dignity in the lesser Asia and such were the Helladarchae in Greece Bithynarchae and Galatarchae in Bithynia and Galatia as a late learned Writer hath fully made out (h) Prid. Marmor Oxon. p. 28. not ejus p. 95. The Priest of Venus was also King of Cyprus (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scholiast in Pindar Pyth. Od. 2. and the Honour and Revenue annexed to it was so considerable that Cato offered King Ptolemy if he would yield up his Arms to procure him chosen Priest of the Goddess at Paphos and then he should want neither Riches nor Honour (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutar. in vita Catoni◠Among the Romans there were very many Colleges of Priests to whom the highest respect was paid and by whom divers of the Principal Offices of State also were managed but these are so well known that a few observations will suffice The greatest Men as Q. Fab. Maximus (l) Plin. Hist lib. 7. cap. 48. and the famous Cicero (m) Cicero Orat. 2. Phil. were Augurs at Rome and they had this privilege that till they died they could not by any Crime forfeit their place (n) Plutar. Quaestion Rom. Prob. 99. and with it they might hold the Consulship or any other Praefecture and therefore the Sons of the Nobility were sent to Tuscany to be fitted for this Office (o) Cicer. de divinat l. 1. Valer. Max. l. 1. c. 1. Numa the Second King of Rome executed the place of Chief Flamin (p) Liv. Hist l. 1. of which there were three Orders and the first viz. the Flamin of Jupiter had singular privileges and could deliver Criminals who kneeled to him (q) Aulus Gellius l. 5. c. 15. Rittershus de Jure asyli c. 2. and was excused from taking an Oath (r) Aul. Gell. ibid. and to omit many other particulars The Pontifex maximus bore the Title of King of Sacred things and was next to the King in dignity living at home and going abroad in the state of a Prince for he was reputed Supream Arbiter both of divine and humane Affairs (s) Pontifex maximus judex atque arbiter habetur rerum divinarum humanarumque Ver. Flaccus Verbo Orde p. 144. So that the Consuls of old
c. 14. p. 335. Skinners Dictionary voce Signior alibi and so was Presbyter originally intended for the Verb from which it comes signifies to Rule (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesch p. 784. and it is used for a Superior Of which the word Priest which we commonly use is only a barbarous contraction but can by no means be supposed as some profanely apply it in their discourse to be any name of diminution or contempt There remains only the Title of Deacon now restrained to the lowest of these three Orders but it must be reckoned honourable in it self because it is applied to the chief Civil Magistrate in respect to his being subordinate to God (c) Rom. xiii 4. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Bishops to the Apostles and to Christ himself (d) Rom. xv 8. 2 Cor. vi 4. Colos iv and though I would not infer from that use of the Name as a late Author doth that this Order was not in the Apostles time (e) Preface to the History of the Regalia p. 14. yet I may justly note that no dishonour can be cast upon our Deacons or Ministers from this appellation that will not reflect upon Magistrates and our Lord also To which I may add Mr. Mede's observation that 't is not said they are Ministers of the people but of God and of Christ (f) See Medes Diatrib on 1 Cor. iv 1. Wherefore all the names of these Sacred Orders in Scripture are honourable and so are also the Offices signified by them and this may suffice for the inspired Books As to the Opinion and Practice of the Christians afterwards they could not but value the Priesthood at an high rate since they reckoned it so necessary to Religion that there could be no Church where there were no Priests (g) Ecclesia non est quòd non habet Sacerdotes Hier. adv Lucif c. 8. ita Theod. Valent. l. 20. in append ad Cod. Theodos And the famous Justinian hath recorded it in his Laws That the Kingdom and the Priesthood are the greatest gifts that the Divine Goodness hath given unto men (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin praef ad Auth. coll 1. Tit. 6. p. 11. but to go back to the earliest times Epiphanius cites ancient Authors affirming That St. James Bishop of Jerusalem after the manner of the Jewish High-Priest (i) Exod. xxviii 36. wore a golden Plate as a Diadem on his Head in token of his Royal Priestood (k) Epiphan Panar l. 1. T. 1. haer 29. l. 3. T. 2. haer 78. The like Ornament as Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus reports was used by St. John (l) Euseb Hist l. 5. c. 23. p. 141. And Baronius gives instances of the same thing used by Primitive Bishops who could not be supposed to do it out of Pride but to express the dignity of their Order (m) Baron Annal. An. 34. p. 240. which in times of persecution when it had no outward lustre nor secular support was honoured by the faithful and those holy Bishops were revered as the representatives of God and Christ Jesus Yea St. Ignatius an humble Bishop and an eminent Martyr requires Christians to obey their Bishop as Christ did his Father to observe and reverence the Presbyters as the Apostles of Christ and to respect the Deacons as the Ordinance of God (n) Vid. loc citat à D.H. Ham. dissert 2. c. 25. which is no more than our Saviour and St. Paul had intimated before (o) Luk. x. 16. 1 Thes iv 8. And so it was no new Doctrine of his It were endless to give instances of the strict observance of these Precepts by the devout Converts of that Age so that one or two may suffice The blessed Martyr St. Polycarp was so highly honoured by the people of Smyrna where he was Bishop that until the day of his Martyrdom he had never pulled off his own shooes every one striving who should do that office for him (p) Euseb Hist l. 4. c. 15. p. 97. and those of Antioch kissed the Hands and embraced the Feet of Meletius their Bishop (q) Chrysost de S. Melet Antioch T. 5. p. 539. The old and famous St Anthony the Hermit who lived in the times of Persecution though he wrought Miracles yet being not in Orders he used to bow his Head and humbly receive the Benediction of Bishops and Priests nor would he pray if but a Deacon were present but made him go before him in the Office (r) Athanas in Vit. D. Ant. Tom. 5. p. 508. And this Custom of bowing to beg the blessing of the Clergy and other very holy Men was so usual among Christians that the very Gentiles did it to St. Anthonys's Scholar St. Hilarion as St. Hierom in his life reports (s) Vit. S. Hilarion apud Hieron Tom. 1. p. 329. and the usage continued for many Ages both in the Eastern and Western Church to kiss the Clergies hands and kneeling to receive their blessing (t) Vid. Haberti observ in Pontifical Graec. Obs 7. p. 139. But I proceed and shall add that when Constantine became a Christian he was exemplary for honouring the Clergy for comming to the Council of Nice and seeing the Bishops rise to receive him he would not sit down in that venerable Assembly till the Fathers desired him (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb in Vit. l. 3. cap. 10. p. 363. and when the Council was ended He feasted them all in his Palace making divers of them sit at his own Table (w) Id. ibid. c. 14. p. 364. In after times St. Martin was placed next to the Emperor Maximus and his Presbyter sat between the Emperors Uncle and Brother at a Feast where many Nobles were present (x) Sulpic. Sever. vit D. Martini §. 23. p. 466. And it was believed a Judgment of God fell upon Valentinian the elder for not rising to that Bishop when he came to him (y) Idem in Dialogo §. 6. p. 537. I might also note that if Bishops sollicited Princes for the pardon of Criminals or on other occasions of Charity they used not to deny them And St. Martin is said rather to command it than intreat in such cases (z) Et si pro aliquibus supplicandum regi fuit imperavit potius quam rogavit Sulpic. Sever. vit §. 23. p. 465. But I shall rather observe that before there were Christian Magistrates the Apostles put the power of judging all causes among beleivers into the Governors of the Church (a) 1 Cor. vi 1. and 1 Tim. v. 19 20. who exercised this Power during the times of Persecution (b) Nam judicatur magno cum pondere c. Tertul. Apol. cap. 39. But when the Emperors became Christian the Bishops were by Law made Judges of all Spiritual Matters and of all Causes among their own Clergy (c) Sozom. Histor Eccles l. 1. cap. 9. p. 206.
whereof I refer the Reader to a very learnned Author who hath taken pains to compare their Offices for Ordination with ours and those of the Primitive Church and proved that we have rejected nothing but needless and late inventions in this piece of Service So that ours is much to be preferred before theirs (c) Collationem vide ap Mas ibid. cap. 17. p. 227 c. The Lutheran Churches have Forms something more agreeable to Antiquity and proper for this Occasion yet they are not full enough in some substantial Parts and cannot compare with our Office (d) Formula ordinationis ad sacr ministerium Lipsiae usitat Impres Ibid. 1624. Much less can the old Scotch Form said to be drawn up by Mr. John Knox which is very defective in the election of ordinary Ministers (e) Scotch Psalter cap. 2. p. 8. edit Middleburgh 1594. and not much better in the Form of electing a Superintendent An. 1560 (f) Ibid. p. 16. But out of all these we shall sometimes make proper Observations concerning their Agreement with our Offices Concluding this general Discourse with observing that since no one intire form of Ordination is left on Record in holy Scripture every Church hath power to compose a Form for its own use to which all the Members of it must adhere provided there be nothing contained therein contrary to God's word As for ours it is drawn up by the Rules of Scripture and is not only Orthodox but so instructing so pious and so very proper to the occasion that I do recommend it First To all that are to enter into holy Orders to read that Form over which belongs to the Order he is about to receive that he may prepare himself for it by understanding his Duty and considering his Vows before he make them (g) Eccles v. 2. Secondly Because we must perform our Vows and practise our Duty all our lives long it is convenient if not necessary for every Clergy-man once a year at least seriously to read the same Office over to keep him mindful of his engagements The pious Cardinal Borromaeo enjoyned every Priest to keep the day of his Ordination yearly remembring it in his Prayers (h) Concil Mediol 3. Anno 1573. ap Bin. T. 4. par 2. p. 421. And our Clergy would find it very much conduce to mind them of their Duty and excite them to do it with zeal and diligence if they did spend annually the day of their admission in Fasting Prayer and Reading attentively these useful and incomparable Forms §. 7. And none shall be admitted a Deacon except he be Twenty three years of Age unless he have a Faculty A Priest shall be full Four and twenty years old A Bishop shall be full Thirty years of Age. Because the Scripture hath not determined the exact time when Men shall enter into these several Orders every Church hath fixed the Ages by the Rules of Prudence as they saw most fit St. Paul 't is true forbids a Novice to be made a Bishop but that is to be understood not of a person young in years but newly converted (i) 1 Tim. iii. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 è D. Chrysost Theophil But all Churches have agreed not to admit Men very young into these weighty Offices for God himself fixed the Ages of Thirty and Twenty-five for the Levites entring on their Ministration (k) Numb viii 24. iv 3.23 ubi lxx ubique habent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our Saviour was Thirty years old when he began to Preach (l) Luk. iii. 23. Which is the reason given by the Council of Neocaesarea Why none though otherwise worthy shall be admitted Priest till he be Thirty years of Age (m) Concil Neocaes An. 315. Can. 11. Bev. T. 1. p. 411. The Council of Agde decreed the same Age for a Priest and appointed a Deacon should be Twenty five year Old (n) Concil Agathen An. 506. Can. 16 17. Bin. T. 2. par 1. pag. 555. and these were the common ages in those eldest times For St. Hierom vindicates his Brother's Ordination because he was then Thirty years Old and he supposes Timothy was no older when he was made a Bishop (o) Hierom. Epist 62. ad Theoph. Tom. 2. p. 273. I know some have carried this higher for Caesarius Bishop of Arles would not ordain a Deacon till he were Thirty years of Age (p) Cypr. vita Caesarij ap Mabillon Lit. Gal. p. 170. And Justinian made a Law that none should be a Presbyter untill he were Thirty five year Old (q) Authent Coll. 9. Tit. 6. Novel 123. c. 13. But the Sixth General Council of Constantinople reduced it to the old period and appointed Thirty for a Priest and Twenty five for a Deacon (r) Concil 6. Constant in Trul. An. 681. Can. 14. Bev. T. 1. p. 173. Which Ages to name no more were fixed in the Saxon Church above a Thousand years ago as appears by Egbert's Collection of the Canons then in force here (s) Excerpt Egbert Can. 91 95. An. 750. Spelm. Tom. 1. p. 267. Yet as our Preface notes in case of great and early merit or an extraordinary occasion this may be dispensed with For Pope Zachary allows Boniface Bishop of Mentz to ordain Priests as well as Deacons at Twenty five years of Age because he wanted assistants among the newly converted Germans (t) Si autem tales non reperiuntur necessitas exposcit à 25 An. supra Levitae Sacerdotes Ordinentur Zach. ep 12. Bin. T. 3. par 1. p. 374. and it was upon the extraordinary merit of Epiphanius afterwards Bishop of Pavy that he was ordained Deacon at Twenty years of Age (u) Ennodius in vit Epiphan Ticinens and that it is likely was the cause why St. Remigius was made an Arch-Bishop when he was but Twenty two (w) Vide Hincmar in vit Remigij yea in the Greek Church one Eleutherius was not above Twenty year old when he was consecrated a Bishop in Illyricum (x) Niceph. Callist Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 29. No doubt there are some persons of early parts and extraordinary Learning and Wisdom though they be very young (y) Antevenit sortem meritis virtutibus Annos and in such cases they are to be regarded rather according to their Discretion and Knowledge than their Ages (z) Levit. xix 32. Hebr. Sen. Chal. Par. ejus qui Doctus est in lege unde RR. dicunt Senex est qui Sapiens est I could instance in divers of those who entred very young into the Ministry and have proved very Eminent but I need name no more than the most famously learned Bishop Usher ordained before he was Twenty one (a) See his Life p. 561. and the pious and eloquent Bishop Jer. Taylor who entred into Orders younger than he (b) See his fun Sermon wherefore 't is fit there should be a
these Seven who were all qualified as the Apostles required First Steven (s) Qui vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Menol. Anthol Graec. the chief and most eminent among them a Man full of Faith and zeal and inspired with extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost above the rest who all had such degrees of these gifts and graces as fitted them for this Office and therefore they elected Philip (t) Vide Act. viii 5 26 cap. xxi 8. and Procorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas (u) Vid. Apoc. ii 7. Ab eo orti sunt Nicolaitae Epiphan haer 25. Hieron ep 48. At ipsum inculpaâ—um asserunt Clem. Alex. Strom. 3. Euseb l. 3. c. 23. Theod. haeret Fab. l. 3. who was of Gentile Extraction a Proselyte converted first to the Jewish Religion and formerly of Antioch all which had deserved a good testimony and were then well known in the Apostolical College and divers of them afterward proved eminent in the Church Ver. vi These Seven are the Men whom they of the Synod elected and set before the Apostles who as Supream Rulers of the Church had the sole power of delegating a right to any that were to officiate therein And since the Office of Deacons was sacred necessary and to continue in the Church they solemnly admitted them in such manner as all others afterwards were to be admitted therefore when they had prayed earnestly to God for them they laid their hands upon them as the Jews were wont to do in their solemn Designations of any to Offices of Dignity and trust (w) Numb xxvii 18. and from this Precedent set by the Apostles here and afterwards all Ordinations in the Christian Church were made by Prayer and Imposition of Hands (x) Ordinatio Clericorum non solum ad imprecationem vocis sed ad impositionem impletur manus Hieron in Isai 58. Tom. 4. p. 421. And these two have been ever since accounted so necessary that no regular Ordination could be without them Ver. vii And God who directed the setting up this New Order gave it a good effect the Apostles having more leisure to make Converts and being sometimes assisted by the Deacons in these higher Ministries divers became Christians And the word of God was preached so frequently that the knowledge thereof encreased and the number of the Disciples by the accession of new Converts multiplied in that Church of Ierusalem greatly notwithstanding the malice and menaces of the Jewish Rulers So that abundance of the common people and a great company of the Priests (y) Male Beza dubitat de hoc loco cum omnes MSS. Graec. ita legunt themselves not only professed but were obedient to the Faith of Christ believing the Principles and practising the Duties of Christianity §. 9. Of the Oath of Supremacy Though the Form of this Oath in our Nation be no older than the dawning of our Reformation under King Henry 8. (z) Sub Henrico 8. primo introductum est juramentum primatûs Reg. Jacobi Apol. log p. 53. yet the thing is as old as Scripture History for the right of Kings which this Oath declares is set forth in God's Word where David and Solomon Hezekiah and Jehosaphat (a) 1 Chron. xxviii 21. 1 King ii 27. 2 Chron. viii 14 15. chap. xx 21. as Supream in the Ecclesiastical as well as in Civil Affairs made Laws in matters of Religion and the Priests as well as the People were subject unto them As to the putting it into the Ordination Office we will shew 1st The reasonableness thereof in general 2ly The particular reasons for giving it to the Clergy 3ly The occasion of introducing it here 1st That it is reasonable in general will appear from the consent of all mankind the modern Papists excepted that Kings are Supream in all sorts of Causes the Jews thought so as was shewed before and so did the Gentiles as the great Philosopher sufficiently declares in saying the King is Lord of all things that relate to the Gods (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Pol. l. 3. of which opinion also was a good old Pope who did not foresee the unjust claim of his Successors but owned that God had given the Emperor dominion over all Priests as well as Soldiers (c) Deus qui ei omnia tribuit dominari eum non solum Militibus sed etiam Sacerdotibus concessit Greg. l. 2. ep 64. a Doctrine taught long before by St. Chrysostom who says the Emperor was the Supream and Head of all things upon Earth (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Orat. de Stat. 2. p. 463. To which agree all those Titles that the Clergy gave Christian Princes or they claimed as their due Pope Eleutherius calls Lucius King of Britain The Vicar of God in his Kingdom (e) Epist Eleuther ad Luc. Spelm. Tom. 1. p. 34. King Edgar is called The Vicar of Christ in the Laws promulgated in his time (f) Leg. Hydens ibid. p. 438. and he stiles himself Pastor of the Pastors (g) Charta ejus apud Seld. notis in Eadmer p. 146. and in much later times before the Pope pretended to give the Kings of England this Title for defending the Roman Errors our Princes claimed it as a right inherent in their Crown to be the Defenders of the Faith (h) Fidei defensores sumus esse volumus Brev. Ric. 2. Reg. Eliens fol. 1384. and 't is very remarkable that the General Councils of Constantinople and Chalcedon used that very same stile as of right belonging to the Emperors Theodosius and Marcian (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Constant Bin. Tom. 2. Par. 1. p. 89. ita Concil Chalced. Act. 6. Bin. ibid. p. 269. and Leo Magnus Bishop of Rome calls the latter of these the Defender or Preserver of the Faith (k) Custos Fidei Leo M. ep 71. ad Anastas p. 415. Agreeably to which Pope Anastasius calls the Emperor of the same Name God's Vicar appointed in his stead to preside in the Earth (l) Epist Anastas Pap. ad Imperator Anastas Bin. ut supr p. 507. The like Titles were given by the Bishops in Councils to the Western Emperors for Charlemaign is stiled Ruler of the true Religion and Governor of God's holy Church (m) Concil Mogunt An. 813. in Praef. Bin. T. 3. Par. 1. §. 2. p. 196. his Son Lewis is also called The strenuous Ruler of the true Religion (n) Vid. ibid. An. 847. p. 372. But if any should object these are only Complements and do not prove that Princes were really Supream in all Causes I shall observe that they really exercised this Supream Authority for the Codes and Novels of Justinian Theodosius and other Emperors in the East the Capitulars of Charles the Great and his Successors in the West the Laws of our Saxon Danish and first Norman Kings abound with Statutes and Edicts concerning
Preaching the Gospel there I know the Church of Rome for some Ages past hath reckoned Preaching among the usual parts of a Deacons Office as may be seen in their Authors and their Ordinals (w) Diaconos ad praedicationis officium vacari congruit Synod Rom. sub Gregor M. Can. 1. in ejus Oper. Fol. 274. b. ita Rab. Maur. de instit cler l. 1. c. 7. Pontif. Rom. p. 31. But I take it to be much better to leave it in the Bishops power as our Church doth to single out only some of the most Learned and Prudent that he Ordains and give them the encouragement of a special Licence to Preach which may engage others afterwards to come very well qualified for this first Degree 7ly The external part of the Deacons Office is that which was the Original Cause of the Institution of this Order viz. To take care of the Poor For the bitter spite of the Jews against such as embraced the Faith of Christ together with that zeal for God's glory and that generous Charity and contempt of the World which inspired the first Converts made them to sell their Estates in Judaea especially and put it into a Common-stock for the Apostles to distribute among the poor Believers (x) Acts iv 33 34 c. which proving a heavy burden to them and an hindrance to more Spiritual Ministries they chose Seven Deacons (y) Acts vi 2 3 c. who were to enquire into the necessities of every one and apply a suitable relief to them out of the Churches Treasure (z) Viduarum mensarum Ministri De Diaconis Hier. ep 85. ad Evagr. But in the Gentile Churches where the Faithful retained a propriety in their Estates St. Paul had taught them (a) 1 Cor. xvi 1. to lay by some part of their six days gains and to offer it on the Sunday at the weekly Sacrament where that which was offered was afterward dispensed by the Deacons with the Bishops advice which we may gather from Justin Martyr who writ in the beginning of the next Century and informs us that such as were able and willing gave weekly and what was so given was deposited with the Bishop who took care of Orphans Widows and other Poor (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just M. Apol. 2. p. 99. And doubtless after the Apostles example the Bishops used the Deacons in this distribution Tertullian notes this Oblation-money was put into a kind of an Ark or Chest once a Month in his time or oftner which was divided among the Sick the Aged the Orphans and such as suffered for God's Cause (c) Tertul. Apol. c. 39. p. 3◠And of this Chest the Deacon was the Keeper (d) Diaconum sacrae arcae custodem Paulin. de Mirac S. Martin l. 4. for which reason the Persecutors demanded the Churches Treasure of St. Laurence who was Deacon to St. Sixtus Bishop of Rome as of him which did manage the Wealth of the Church (e) Qui dispensatione Ecclesiasticae substantiae praeeminebat S. Leo Serm. de S. Laurentio But still in those days the Bishop was Overseer of these Charities and therefore if the Deacon saw a poor Man upon notice given to the Bishop he was to relieve him (f) Clementis Constit l. 2. c. 36. And St. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage commands his Clergy that nothing be wanting to the Confessors in Prison nor any other that laboured under Poverty (g) Cyprian ad Cler. l. 5. ep 2. Now this was in those Devout and Charitable Ages a very great Trust reposed in the Deacons because while the Fervors of the first Ages lasted the Oblations of the Faithful especially in great Cities were very large so that we learn from St. Chrysostom that the Church of Antioch daily fed 3000 Widows and relieved Prisoners Sick and Strangers besides (h) D. Chrysost ad pop Antioch hom 3. And as for the Church of Rome in times of Persecution in Pope Cornelius his days there were 1500 poor Widows and other distressed maintained by the publick Charity there (i) Euseb Hist l. 6. c. 35. p. 179. and many more afterwards for as a good Author (k) Onuph Panvin de interpret voc Eccles verb. Diac. Card. observes instead of the Seven Deacons first instituted at Rome they were obliged to make fourteen regionary Officers of which each in his region or quarter was to look after the Widows Orphans and Poor and then they were increased to eighteen and called at length Cardinal Deacons but in the Roman Ordinal Patres Diaconiae to so great a height did this Office arise there In other Churches as well as that from St. Paul's words of putting a Widow into the Catalogue (l) 1 Tim. v. 9. Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veteres inde catalogum fecerunt in unaquaque Ecclesia quae postea dicitur Matricula in qua pauperum qui Ecclesiasticis stipendiis aluntur nomina descripta erant Vid. Du Fresn Gloss T. 2. p. 482. Voss de Vitiis Serm. l. 3. c. 24. p. 517. there was a List made of all the Poor People which were kept by the Oblations of each Church called by the name of Matricula and this sort of Poor had the title of the Matricularians which were all under the care and inspection of the Deacons who by the Bishops advice did give them a constant allowance And probably from the Jewish custom of permitting the Lame Man to lie and beg at the Gates of their Temple came the usage of such allowed Beggars at the Doors of Christian Churches (m) Acts iii. 2. In Concil Ephesin mentio fit pauperum Sedentium ad ostium Ecclesiae Bin. T. 1. Par. 2. p. 294. being of the number which belonged to that place Nor is this Pious Custom ceased for in two Cathedrals wherein I have had the honour to be preferred and I suppose in others there is still such a Catalogue of Poor kept to whom the Oblations are distributed by the Sacrist who formerly was a Deacon in Weekly or Monthly proportions according to the Directions of their Superiors So that in Cathedrals and some large Parochial Churches where there is a Deacon Reader under a Priest where the Offerings of the Altar are sufficient to make such provision it is at this day the Deacon's part to enquire for the Sick Poor and Impotent of their Parish and intimate their Names Habitations and several Conditions to their Superiors that they may be relieved either out of the fund for Charity arising from the Oblations or by the voluntary Contribution of the abler Parishioners to which the Minister ought frequently to exhort them and to be the common Father of the needy relieving them himself as far as his ability extends and engaging others to do the like for in so doing he pays an acceptable service to Almighty God who stiles himself the Father of the Fatherless the Husband of the Widow and the God
of malice and mutual provocation introducing Unity Peace and Concord with all the blessed consequences of Love Charity and Beneficence This would make Towns and Cities Families and Neighborhoods easie and happy and every Man would share in this blessed Tranquility There are in all places instruments of Sathan to sow and enflame discord and either out of ill nature or for gain (o) Qui lites creant qui si nihil est litium lites serunt Plaut in Penul 3. 2. p. 874. to disturb the repose of Mankind and who so fit as the Servants of the God of Peace to countermine those Agents of the Prince of Darkness They can best set forth the gracious promises made to Peace and Unity the dreadful threatnings against variance and strife hatred and malice they are most proper to shew their people the Sin and mischief of living in Enmity which makes them and their prayers odious to God and will hinder his remitting their offences against him banish the holy Spirit of love from their Souls and qualifie them for no other Society but that of Hell And they who have such a Pastor ought to receive his advice and admonitions with all humility and gratitude and chearfully to leave their quarrels to his mediation and arbitrement But if they shall on either side be found implacable the party who is willing to be reconciled may be admitted to the Holy Sacrament (p) Quid faciemus in quorum potestate voluntas tantum pacis est non effectus Heir Ep. 62. because the innocent must not suffer for the guilty while the other as our Rubrick directs is to be suspended from it and his obstinacy notified to the Bishop that by his Authority he may either be brought to a reconciliation or prosecuted for his malice 'T is evident the Laity in the Primitive times voluntarily desired Bishops and Priests to decide their differences and it is remarked by the writer of St. Augustine's life That at the request of his people he spent the forenoon often and sometimes the whole day fasting while he was hearing their causes but would not leave off till he had decided them (q) Interpellatus ergo causas audiebat diligentèr pie usque ad horam refectionis aliquando autem totâ die jejunus semper tamen dirimebat Possidon in vit Aug. I doubt not but the Clergy are now as willing to undertake this charitable office especially in such controversies where there is no Title or nice point of Law to be determined as those of ancient times and certainly it would be our peoples great advantage to accept of yea to encourage their Mediation §. 6. Quest VIII Will you reverently obey your Ordinary c. This being the same in our Offices both of Deacon and Priest had not been repeated here but only to observe that the Roman Church only requires this promise of Canonical obedience from Priests (r) Vid. Pontif. Rom. in Ord. Presb. p. 54. and that is all the engagements they enter into but only to say a few Masses and pray for the Bishop and these two last particulars are late Additions (s) Vid. Pontif. Innoc. 8. edit An. 1485. For they were not in the Pontifical of Pope Innocent the 8th Printed about 100 years ago Now the engaging their Priests only to obey their Superiors and not to perform the Duties of their Office enjoyned by Christ as we do Looks as if they were more concerned for the Polity of their Church than for the Salvation of Souls and considering the tendency of our distinct Questions to make our Priests careful of their whole Duty I doubt not but every impartial Man will judge our Office excels theirs in this as well as in most other things CHAP. V. Of the Bishops and Peoples Prayers THe Priests having solemnly promised to perform all these necessary and weighty parts of their Pastoral Office by God's help First the Bishop openly prays for them in these words §. 1. Almighty God who hath given you this Will to do all these things Grant also unto you strength c. The Lutheran Forms after the Questions and Answers cited before have a Prayer very like this in substance (t) Dominus igitur noster Jesus Christus summus Pastor Episcopus animarum nostrarum vos in hac fide in Christiano proposito clementer confirmet conservet Form Lips An. 1624. And this being pronounced by the Bishop who is Christ's immediate Officer must be looked on as a Benediction and not barely Petitionary Though we see the Ordainer gives all the glory to God ascribing to him that good will which they have declared in freely undertaking these Duties without whom we are not sufficient so much as to think one good thought (u) 2 Cor. 3.5 much less to make so many holy Resolutions Now upon this ground that the pious inclination and religious purpose came from God the Bishop proceeds rightly to beg of the Divine Author of their good will to grant them strength and power to perform all that they have promised which is no more but the accomplishing of that Work which he hath begun They did own in the first answer that God's Spirit they believed moved them to take on them this Sacred Calling and he disposed them freely to engage that they will do all the Duties thereof Now though resolving to do well be the beginning yet putting these Resolves in execution is the finishing of every good Work and Performance is the only perfection of a Promise The Bishop finds therefore God hath begun and he hopes he will accomplish this Work yea he may say with St. Paul to his Philippians He makes this request with joy being confident of this very thing that he who hath begun will certainly go on to perfect this good Work (w) Philip. i. 6. Which place as we find in the life of St. Bernard (x) Vit. D. Bernardi p. 1967. being read in the Church the same day that the holy Father and his Companions had vowed to live a very strict life they were much encouraged and went away rejoycing Our Lord hath declared it is his method to give to him that hath already (y) St. Matth. xiii 12. and Chap. xxv 9. He that thankfully receives and carefully improves a good thought into a holy purpose shall be enabled to do what he hath resolved Wherefore the Persons now to be Ordained having found the grace of God Making them willing to promise may say with St. Augustine (z) Ab illo in me perfici fideliter spero à quo inchoatum esse humiliter gaudeo nec in eo quod non donavit incredulus nec in eo quod jam donavit ingratus Aug. ad Maced ep 52. T. 2. fol. 48. They hope firmly that the same God will perfect in them that which they rejoyce humbly to find he hath begun And they cannot doubt of that which he hath not yet given them without being
will call them to so strict an account And it should also make the People reverence and love them exceedingly for their Works sake Wherefore we now proceed to pray for both Pastors and People First For the Bishops to whose Dignity a weighty Burden is annexed as was noted before (b) Nomen sonat plus oneris quam honoris non ut praesit sed ut prosit eligitur Durand rational verb. Episc that is First diligently to Preach God's Word Secondly Duly to administer the godly discipline thereof agreeable to the Metaphor of a Shepherd who is first to Feed and then to Govern his Flock to both which David alludes (c) Psal xxiii 2 4. As to the Former Duty of a Bishop's Preaching though he have no Superior to require it of him he should voluntarily Preach on all occasions Thus we find St. Cyprian preached in the times of persecution (d) Cypr. ep 52. §. 2. p. 114. and daily treated upon the Gospel (e) Quotidianis Evangeliorum tractatibus Id. de bon pudic initio St. Ambrose declares that his custom was continually to admonish his People that is in his Sermons (f) Vulgus jugiter monere consuevi Ambr. de dig Sacerd. c. 1. and from the Works of St. Chrysostom St. Augustin and St. Cyril it is manifest that those Primitive Bishops preached almost every day as St. Hierom also remarks of Proculus a French Bishop (g) Pontifex qui quotidianis tractatibus iter tuum dirigit Hieron ad Rustic ep 4. p 49. But of this I shall treat hereafter (h) See Chap. viii §. 1. and shew that even in our days many pious Bishops do preach very often both in their Cathedrals and in Cures where there is but mean provision for this Office whereby they both set a good Example to the inferior Clergy and since their Dignity gives great weight to their Exhortations and Reproofs it is likely they may hereby promote the Salvation of many People this Petition therefore that Bishops may diligently preach God's Word is still very fit to be made 'T is true Secondly There is another part of their Office wherein the Priests are not joyned in Commission with them so that the main Burden thereof lies on their Shoulders and the male administration of it must wholly lie at their Doors which is the due Exercise of Church Discipline which may justly be stiled godly both from the Original of it being taken out of God's Word and the End of it which is to promote Virtue and Godliness And this is a more necessary part of the Bishop's Office than Preaching which he should principally intend There are some Causes too difficult and some Offenders too great or too obstinate for the inferior Clergy and there the Bishop must interpose by first Admonishing and then Censuring such as notoriously offend in Faith or Manners a good Pastor must not only Feed the Sound but Heal the Sick and Wounded Sheep Seek them that are Lost Bring home such as are gone Astray Separate those that may Infect others and finally Cast out them that are Incurable Now to do this Duly that is as oft as there is occasion and by a right manner of proceeding requires much skill and pains and will take up much time and need continual application but the benefit and comfort arising from the faithful discharge of this difficult Province will abundantly requite the labour of it here yet it shall be rewarded eternally hereafter when the great Shepherd shall appear In the next place we also pray for the People that the Bishop's diligence and care may have a due effect upon them even that they may obediently follow their Exhortations and Advice from the Pulpit and patiently submit to their Monitions and Censures while they exercise the Acts of Jurisdiction 'T is Solomon's Observation that a wise Reprover should have an obedient Ear and then only he is successful (i) Prov. xxv 12. And we have many pious Bishops blessed be God who are diligent in Preaching and as far as their present circumstances will permit are ready to exercise the Godly Discipline of the Church yet alas they have not the desired success through the Pride and Negligence of the People wherefore we beg of God to dispose them to Obey and Submit which are both their indispensable Duties required expresly by God himself who charges them To Obey those Spiritual Pastors who have the Rule over them and submit themselves (k) Heb. xiii 17. Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scil eorum mandatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poenis juste impositis B. Sanderson in loc and there is a cogent reason taken from their own benefit because saith he they watch for your Souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you (l) Non dixit non expedit illis sed vobis ipsa tristitia prodest illis sed non expedit vobis nihil autem nobis volumus expedire quod non expedit vobis Aug Ver. Dom. Ser. 16. A good Bishop is set by Christ as a Watchman over his Peoples Souls and if when his Master calls him to an account as he will do he chearfully reports they were willing humble and obedient that will procure God's mercy to them On the contrary if he be forced to complain of their stubbornness with grief he shall be rewarded for his pains and they alas must be condemned for their hindring the success of his Labours which is their loss and not his 'T is great pity a good Bishop should not meet with an ingenuous and tractable People for then both he and they as this Collect notes shall receive the Crown of Everlasting Life He shall be Crowned for his Diligence and they for Observing his Preaching and Submitting to his Discipline Which therefore we beg for Christ Jesus sake Amen CHAP. III. Of the Epistles §. 1. OUT of Holy Scripture the Rule for our Spiritual Guides to walk by there are several Portions taken proper for the several Orders of the Clergy The first for the Consecration of a Bishop is out of the first Epistle to Timothy Chap. iii. ver 1 c. an Epistle so adapted to this Occasion that in all the Old Lectionaries and Ordinals of the Western Church (p) Vid. Pamel de Liturg. Tom. 2. p. 61. Lectionar ap Baluz append ad Capitular Tom. 2. p. 1350. 1373. Item ap Morin de Ord. Lat. Par. 2. p. 321. where Epistles and Gospels are only in use this Portion is always the first and where there are seven or eight for variety this is never omitted because it contains those Divine Directions which the Holy Spirit by St. Paul gave to Timothy concerning the Qualifications of a Bishop and describes all the Virtues they of that Sacred Order ought to be endued with as well as the Vices they must be clear from and the Method will