from the Apostles time Whereby we make a distinction between these three truly Sacred Orders which were instituted by Christ and his Apostles and alone are retained by our Reformers as necessary for all Ages and those inferior Orders of Subdeacons Acolyths Exorcists Readers c. invented by men in later times and therefore laid aside in this Reformed Church 'T is true these were names of Offices used in some places very early but those who had these Titles had no solemn Ordination at first and were looked on rather as Candidates for than Persons in Holy Orders And therefore Alphonsus a Castro (b) Alf. a Castro adv haeres l. xi tit Ordo with very many other eminent Doctors of the Roman Church cited by the learned Chamier allow not these lesser Orders to be Sacraments nor truly Sacred as not being instituted by Christ (c) Cham. Panstrat l. iv c. 22. p. 212. But as to these three greater Orders our Preface modestly dates their use from the Apostles time for it might have been carried much higher since it is also evident that in the Jewish Oeconomy the first Church setled by a written Divine Law above 3000 years ago three Orders were appointed the High-Priest the Priests and the Levites answering to our Bishops Presbyters and Deacons and being the very Pattern to the Apostles in the institution of these three Christian Orders as divers of the Fathers have observed (d) Et ut sciamus Traditiones Apostolicas sumptas de Veteri Testamento Quod Aaron filii ejus atque Levitae in Templo fuerunt hoc sibi Episcopi Presbyteri atque Diaconi vendicent in Ecclesia Hieron ad Euagr. Ep. 85. T. 2. p. 511. Vide item Clem. Epist ad Corinth pag. 92. I may also add that our Saviour who loved not unnecessary alteration kept as nigh to this Form in his own time as the circumstances would bear for he sustained the place of High-Priest and Bishop by both which names he is called (e) Heb. iv 14. 1 Pet. ii 25. being the supream Ruler of his Church and under him the Apostles were then only as Priests having below them the LXX Disciples like to the Levites and Deacons (f) Luc. x. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in loc Out of whom after the Apostles succeeded their Master in the Government of the Church many were chosen into higher Orders and seven of them were fixed as Deacons in Jerusalem the Mother of all Churches (g) Vid. Chron. Alexand Bibl. Patr. T. 12. p. 60. Epiph. Panar T. 1. haer 20. After our Lord's ascension also Scripture mentions the like number of stated Orders First The Apostles who then held the place of Bishops though they could not be fixed to any one City Secondly The Evangelists who were sent to plant or to water newly converted Churches and these represented the Presbyters to which we may add the Deacons ordained not only in Judea but also among the Gentile Proselytes (h) Phil. i. 1. 1 Tim. iii. 8. as appears from the Title of some Epistles and the Rules given to Timothy about them The only Objection as to the Scripture-Period is about the seemingly promiscuous use of the words Bishop and Presbyter or Elder For which Objection it suffices to note 1st That in those Churches where any of the Apostles lived or commonly resided as Jerusalem and Corinth there St. James and St. Paul for a while kept the Government in their own hands and so long there was no occasion for any more than two Orders under the Apostles in those places viz. Presbyters and Deacons 2ly That in those Cities where few were converted there was no occasion for Presbyters at first and it seems reasonable to think there were no more fixed there than a Bishop and his Deacons which some make to be the case at Philippi that Epistle being directed only to the Bishops and Deacons though others will have Bishops there to signify Presbyters and think Epaphroditus his Title left out in the direction because he carried the Epistle (i) Cum Presbyteris Diaconis Syriac vers Ita Theoph. in loc and they observe St. Polycarp only mentions two Orders at Philippi Presbyters and Deacons (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Philip. p. 18. but for their argument from the plural number Bishops it is sufficiently answered by observing Philippi was a Metropolis and had many Cities under it in that Province and so had many Bishops However we do not deny that in some Churches before a due settlement could be made there might be but two Orders besides the Apostles who as St. Clement says Preaching in Countries and Cities ordained the First-fruits of them proving them by the Spirit Bishops and Deacons of such as should believe (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Corinth p. 96. But Epiphanius against Aerius the heretical Founder of the Presbyterian party gives a convincing reason for this viz. because while the Preaching was new all things could not be setled by the Apostles at once and where none were found worthy to be Priests they were content only with a Bishop who could not be without his Deacons for ministrations but the Church was not yet compleated in its Offices since nothing is perfect at first but in process of time all that it s needs required was fixed (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paulo post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph. Panar contr Aer lib. 3. T. 1. haer 75. Whence we may infer that in perfect Churches there were then three Orders and I hope our Adversaries will not offer imperfect ones for our imitation especially since it is clear even in the Apostles days that they then being in the place of Bishops had power over Deacons and gave a mission to Presbyters (n) Act. vi 6. and xv 22. That Evangelists could not confirm the converted Samaritans without the Apostles (o) Act. viii 14 15 16 17. That the Bishops constituted by them were to charge the Pastors not to preach any strange Doctrine (p) 1 Tim. i. 3. and to see laborious Preachers well rewarded (q) 1 Tim. v. 17. to censure offending Elders (r) 1 Tim. v. 1. yea to examine and approve of Deacons (s) 1 Tim. iii. 8. and to admit both these by Imposition of Hands (t) Chap. v. 22. which place the Fathers generally explain of Ordination (u) Vid. Theoph. in loc Bern. de consid lib. 4. c. 4. p. 887. And the like superiority Titus had in Creet (w) Tit. i. 5. and Chap. iii. 10. From all which it appears there was an Order of Bishops above the Presbyters who must have jurisdiction over them or else they could not reprove and censure them as Epiphanius notes (x) Epiphan ut supra haer 75. contr Aer who also had then the only Power of Ordaining both the Presbyters and the Deacons and of confirming baptized
observable in this Paragraph Secondly What is the lawful Authority to admit Men into holy Orders which we affirm to be only Bishops and here I shall not content my self to prove this by the Statute Law of this Land that no Man can be a lawful Priest or Deacon unless he be ordained by a Bishop (p) Stat. 13. Eliz. cap. 12. §. 1. and Act of Uniformity 14 Car. 2. but further shew this Law is grounded upon holy Scripture and the Canons and Practice of the Universal Church First Our Lord as Supreme Ruler of his Church called and ordained his Apostles (q) Matth. x. 1 2. chap. xxviii 19 20. John xx 21 22 23. and they ordained Deacons Presbyters and Bishops (r) Act. vi 6. xiv 23. 2 Tim. i. 6. but they gave the power of admitting all others only to the Bishops to whom also they only gave Rules to choose Candidates by as was observed before The Canons of the Apostles are express that two or three Bishops are necessary to the Consecrating a Bishop and one to the Ordaining a Priest and Deacon (s) Can. Apostol 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Bev. T. 1. p. 1. Neither of which as Dionysius observes can be initiated without the Bishops Prayer (t) Dionys Eccles hierar cap. 5. So Firmilianus affirms That the Presidents have the sole power of Baptizing Imposition of Hands and Ordination (u) Firmilian Ep. ad D. Cypr. numb 75. p. 237. which Testimony with others did so convince the learned Daillé the great Patron of Presbytery that he owns Ordination in St. Cyprian 's time was properly the Bishops right (w) Ordinationem Episcopalis juris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuisse in Cyprianci seculi Ecclesiâ confitemur Daillé de cult Latin relig lib. 2. c. 13. p. 171. So that this confession of so great an Adversary may excuse any further proof for that Age and if it be considered that the Bishops down from the Apostles to Cyprian's days were very Poor and persecuted as well as very Pious it cannot be supposed they should within that period have usurped or monopolized any Authority that was not left them by the Apostles and thus this concession amounts to a grant that the Bishops had the sole right of Ordaining given them by the Apostles Afterwards that Bishops alone did Ordain is so plain it needs no proof And St. Hierom where he warmly attempts to equal Presbyters and Bishops in many things yet even there excepts the power of Ordination as the Bishops sole right (x) Quid facit Episcopus excepta Ordinatione quod Presbyter non facit Hier. ad Evagr. Ep. St. Chrysostom also makes the same exception as to Ordination (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chr. in 1 Tim. §. 11. T. 4. p. 287. And if this had not been the general belief of the Ancient Catholick Church Aerius would not have been reckoned an Heretick by Epiphanius and St. Augustine for denying this difference between a Bishop and a Presbyter (z) Epiphan haer 75. p. 404. Augustin de Haeres haer 53. Tom. vi p. 6. Where Epiphanius notes the Episcopal Order makes Fathers of the Church which the Order of Presbyters cannot do (a) Epiphan ut supra l. 3. T. 1. c. To which also the Ancient Canons agree Those of Ancyra ten years before the Nicene Council forbid both the Chorepiscopi and City Presbyters to Ordain (b) Synod Ancyran can 13. not Bev. T. ◠p. 175. In the Council of Sardica those Clerks that were Ordained by Musaeus and Eutychianus who were not Bishops were only admitted to Lay-communion (c) Concil Sardic an 347. can 18 19. Bev. T. 1. p. 505. The like Decree also was made about the Ordinations of Maximus a pretended but no real Bishop that the Persons should be reputed no Clergy-men and all his Acts annulled (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Concil Const 2. can ◠Bev. T. 1. p. 91. Soz. lib. 1. cap. 9. So it was determined in a Synod at Alexandria that Ischyras who was ordained by one Colluthus a meer Presbyter should be deprived of that degree to which he had falsly pretended (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synod Alexand. ap Athanas Apol. 2. for say they since Colluthus died but a Presbyter his Ordinations are void (f) Epist Synodal ap Bin. Tom. i. p. 405. So in the Council of Antioch where the Chorepiscopi are forbid to Ordain Balsamon notes Presbyters are not mentioned because it was taken for granted they could not pretend to such a power (g) Balsam in 10 Can. Concil Antioch ap Bev. T. 1. p. 439. The Council of Hispalis degraded a Priest and two Deacons for this only Reason That the Bishop being ill in his Eyes suffered a Priest to say the Prayers over them contrary to the Ecclesiastical Custom and they say the Bishop should have been deprived also had he been alive (h) Concil Hispal 2 Can. 5. An. 619. Bin. T. 2. par 2. pag. 326. Whoever desires to see more instances may consult Baluzius his notes (i) Baluzij not in Capitular Reg. Franc. Tom. 2. p. 1246. where he gives other Examples of Clerks that were un-episcopally ordained who were to be re-ordained or reputed meer Lay-men It was upon this universally owned principle that Bishops only could Ordain that when the Emperors gave Rules for the qualifications of Candidates for holy Orders they directed them only to the Bishops (k) Collat. Authentic Tit. 6. Nov. Just 6. T. 2. p. 2 c. and the General Council of Chalcedon lays the Penalties for all Un-canonical Ordinations only upon the Bishops because they only could be Guilty of these Crimes (l) Concil Chalced. can 2. can 6. Bin. Tom. 2. p. 112. 118. The sixth General Council upon the same ground reckons up Ordinations as those things which peculiarly belong to the Office of a Bishop (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil in Trul. can 37. Bev. Tom. 1. p. 199. So that nothing can be clearer than the Bishops sole Right to Ordain if we consult the Canons or usage of the Church in all former Ages But some object this will deprive divers Foreign Churches where they have no Bishops of a lawful Ministry because their Ministers have no Ordination but by Presbyters To which I shall only say that the first Presbyter who presumed to Ordain had no such power given him and so could not rightly convey that which he never received There is no precedent in Scripture of meer Presbyters Ordaining alone and such Ordinations would have been declared null in the Primitive Ages yea for 1500 year together no such were allowed But the fairest plea is That some of these Churches were forced by dire necessity to this irregularity by the obstinate refusal of the Popish Bishops to ordain any that were for Reformation so that they must either have such a
yearly to visit and thereby they must become acquainted with most of the Clergy and so can best judge of their Testimonials yea it is their Duty and interest to take care that none but worthy persons be admitted because when they come afterwards to be fixed in Country Cures they may probably fall under their Government and if they be Learned and Pious they will have the reward of this care in examining them by the comfort and credit that will accrew from such admissions Having thus given the reasons of the Arch-Deacons presenting I shall say something of their Original and Office in great Churches where the Bishop had many Deacons the eldest had the Title of Arch-Deacon and was a sort of Governor over all the rest (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. Hist l. 1. c. 26. and thus Athanasius is called Arch-Deacon to Alexander Bishop of Alexandria The Deacons in some places chose those not for Age alone but other good qualities (a) Diaconi eligunt de se si quem industrium noverint Archidiaconum vocent Hier. ad Evagr. ep 85. afterwards the Bishops chose them and if the Senior was not fit he might nominate another as an old Council decrees (b) Concil Agath Can. 23. An. 506. Bin. Tom. 2. par 1. p. 555. and this with their being ever in the Bishops eye gave them so much Power at Rome that the Arch-Deacon though no Priest must approve of all that were to be advanced from Deacons to Presbyters there (c) Hieron ad Evagr. ep 85. ubi supra which custom of Rome was soon after imitated by all other Churches and among their various Duties described by Isidore (d) Isidor Hispal ep ad Leudef Episc Cordub this was ever one to examine and approve of Candidates for Holy Orders yea the Bishops employed them in so many affairs that they were called his Eyes (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid Peleus lib. 4. ep 188. ad Lucium Archid. but still they were but of the Order of Deacons so that when an Arch-Deacon was to be consecrated a Bishop he must first be ordained a Priest (f) Sidon Apollinar l. 4. ep ult After this though they kept the old Title of Arch-Deacons they were often Presbyters so that the Canons of Hincmarus are directed to Guntharius and Odelhardus Arch-Deacons and Priests (g) Capitul Hincmari An. 874. Tom. 3. Concil Gallican and then their Power was very much enlarged for they were appointed by the Bishops to visit their Diocesses for them (h) Onuphr Panvin in libel de vocab Eccl. in the Roman Ordinal they are called the Bishops Vicars and in some Churches had a certain Form of Prayers and some Ceremonies used at their Promotion (i) Vid. Morin de Ordin Cophtit p. 508. Which though it be not Customary here yet the great trust reposed in them and the mighty benefits that may accrew to the Church by their prudence fidelity and diligence ought to make our Bishops always choose those that are most Eminent for their Learning Industry Gravity and good Life to this considerable Office and these will very much assist them in the good government and ordering of their Diocesses especially after Age or Infirmities have indisposed them for personal Oversight as to the remoter parts under their jurisdiction 2ly The Persons to whom they are presented for Ordination is the Bishop who as we have shewed hath the sole right to ordain and because he represents in this Act the person of Christ from whom the power of giving holy Orders by his Apostles hath been rightly transferred to them therefore he Sits in a Chair near to the holy Table which Seat is called in the Greek a little Throne (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euchol p. 292. alij addunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. p. 297. and of old that too much State might not be used in the most holy place and the presence of the King of Kings it was only covered with a Linen Cloth as we learn from the Passion of St. Cyprian (l) Vid. Pont. in vit D. Cyprian p. penult who was offered at a Seat in the Praetorium accidentally covered with Linen so that even then he sat as Bishops use to do In the Roman Church it is called by an old Saxon name which implies it was a folding Stool or Chair placed as it is with us within the Rails (m) Episcopus accedit ad Faldistorium ante altare Pontif. Rom. p. 30. For Ordinations in all Churches being accompanied with the Communion have constantly been celebrated near the Altar before which in the Eastern parts the Candidates stood for some time while some Prayers were made in a very humble bowing Posture expecting and waiting for the Gifts and Grace of God as divers Offices do express it (n) Qui cum tremore stat coram Patre nostro Episcopo Ordin Syror. apud Morin par 2. p. 397. Which ours who are to be ordained should so far imitate as to approach with reverence and great humility this Sacred place and him who acts in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and is in this Office his immediate delegate 3ly As to the Persons presented this Rubrick takes care of their external Decency as the following Question and Answer doth of their inward fitness First it is ordered that every one of them shall be Decently habited because a good Figure and decent Apparel naturally gain reverence and respect but affected gaiety and sordid dirtiness equally cause contempt Almighty God himself prescribed the Garments for the High-Priest the Priests and Levites under the Law and they were such as might procure Honour and Glory even to the lowest Order (o) Exod. xxviii 2. Ibid. ver 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers lxx And in all Nations in the World their Priests wore Garments differing from other Men. Our own Canons enjoyn that Ministers shall at all times wear grave distinct and decent Habits (p) Can. lxxiv. Eccles Anglican wherein our Law agrees with the Orders of other ancient Churches which forbid the Clergy to imitate the Lay-mens Fashions in any sort of Clothes and to use any but a very grave Habit even when they do not officiate (q) Nec vestibus nec calceamentis decorem quaerant Concil Carth. 4. Can. 45. Bin. Tom. i. par 1. p. 549. In the Eastern Church it was punished with a Weeks suspension for a Priest to be seen either at Home or in a Journey in any other Garb than in that appropriate to his Order (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil 6. in Trul. can 27. Bever T. 1. p. 187. St. Hieron declaims extremely against those of his Order who drest themselves rather like Bridegrooms than Clergy-men (s) Sponsos magis existimato quam clericos Hier ad Eust ep 22. p. 184. So that he thought it their duty to go always in grave and plain attire even when they
Converts and 't is plain they had two Orders under their Inspection and Rule both the Preaching Presbyters and ministring Deacons in regular Churches especially a little before the end of the Apostles time But our Preface dates the certain and general use of these Orders from the Apostles time So that we need not prove much more than what is granted by D. Blondell the great Champion for two Orders who confesses that Bishops were distinguished from and superior to Presbyters so early that the usage had prevailed about the year of Christ 140 (y) Blondel citat a Dr. Hammond in Epist praefix Dissert de Episc §. 23. Now it is agreed that St. John lived till An. Christ 98. and if this usage had prevailed within 42 years after it must either have begun in the time of the Apostles and then must be made with their consent or else we must suppose so great a Change could be begun and perfected in distant places in a very short time which is incredible especially if we look on the temper and state of those poor pious and persecuted Pastors who succeeded the Apostles for no man can imagine they were busie in procuring a Dominion over their Brethren which neither Christ nor his Apostles had allowed them Yet we can go higher than Mr. Blondell yields and as early as St. Clemens Romanus who writ an Epistle to the Corinthians before St. John's death or about that time and though in one place of it where he speaks of the time when the Apostles first planted Churches he mention only two Orders yet afterwards he takes notice that before the late unhapy Schism They walked in Gods Laws being subject to their Governors and giving due Honour to the Presbyters among them (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Ep. ad Corinth p. 4. Now since we cannot reasonably suppose the Christians at Corinth then had any secular Governors of their own These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are set before and distinct from the Presbyters must be Bishops Spiritual Governors who in Scripture are called by that very name (a) Act. xv 22. and Hebr. xiii 7. And we may from this place further note Obedience is due to them and only Reverence to the Presbyters So that these two Orders were distinct from the very time of the Apostles And he mentions the third of Deacons also so that it is no wonder if he liken the Christian Hierarchy to the three Orders among the Jews nor can it be doubted but these Three Orders were distinct in his time S. Ignatius follows him who was Martyred ten years after St. John's death An. 108. and his Epistles mention Bishops Priests and Deacons as then fixed in all the Churches he Writ to so very often that we cannot cite all the places in this brief account but refer the Reader to Dr. Hammond's Dissertations (b) D. Hammond Dissert 2. de Episc cap. 25. de Testim D. Ignatij where they are all collected and the places are so clear that such as would maintain only two Primitive Orders are forced to question the Authority of the Holy Martyr 's Epistles But a learned Writer hath so fully vindicated them for genuine (c) Vid. Vindic. Epistolar D. Ignatij per Pearson Edit Cantab. 1672. and so plainly proved that all other Writers of the second Century did distinguish these Orders (d) Ibid. cap. 13. p. 155. that my pains are superseded in that matter and Ignatius remains an undoubted Evidence for these three Orders So are those two genuine Epistles of Pius Bishop of Rome Anno 164. Wherein he names two of his Subordinate Clergy Soter and Eleutherius both afterwards his Successors most worthy Presbyters And in the fourth Epistle written to a Bishop he saith That the Presbyters and Deacons should honour him not for his Superiority but for his being Christ's Servant d (e) Epist 3. Pij prim cap. Bin. Tom. 1. p. 70. Epist 4 ibid. p. 71. In the same Century Anno 192 lived Clemens of Alexandria who speaks of some precepts in Scripture given to Presbyters others to Bishops and others to Deacons (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Al. paedag l. 3. cap. 12. And expresly affirms that there were then in the Church the Degrees of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. Strom. lib. 6. p. 667. than which nothing can be clearer Next to him may be placed Tertullian his contemporary who names all these Orders and affirms the right of Baptizing is in the Supreme Priest that is the Bishop and then in Priests and Deacons but not without his Licence for the Honour of the Church (h) Dandi quidem jus habet summus sacerdos qui est Episcopus dehinc Presbyteri Diaconi c. Tert. de Bapt. cap. 17. And he blames the Hereticks for blundering these Sacred Orders and confounding them with the Laity So that one was a Bishop to day and another to morrow one a Deacon or Presbyter to day to morrow a Reader or a Lay-man (i) Idem de praescript haeret cap. 41. p. 217. Yea he there tells us that Bishops were set over the Church by the Apostles and that the Succession was continued to his time (k) Idem ibid. cap. 32. p. 213. which is what our Preface affirms concerning Bishops that they had been over the Church from the Apostles time To him in the beginning of the next Century may be added Origen Anno 220 who saith that Bishops Priests and Deacons are names of distinct Administrations (l) Origen in 19. Matth. p. 363. And he names these Orders again (m) Idem in 21. Matth. ver 12. p. 442. and when he had reckoned up the Laity the Deacons and himself among the Presbyters he adds The Bishop is he that had delivered to him the Ecclesiastical Rule over all of us (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. in Jerem. hom 2. Before the middle of this Century flourished St. Cyprian An. 248. who every where names these three Orders so expresly that none can deny they were fixed in the African Church long before his time wherefore waving innumerable testimonies concerning the distinction of the Orders I will only cite two or three about their Subordination First he saith Bishops succeeded the Apostles and are ordained in their stead and that Schisms and Heresies spring from contemning this one Bishop * Praepositos qui Apostolis vicariâ ordinatione succedunt inde enim Schismata Haereses obortae sunt dum Episcopus contemnitur Cypr. Ep. 69. And as to the Presbyters acting presumptuously against their Bishop he represents it as an offence against God a forgetting the Gospel their own place and the future Judgment when without regard to their Superiour without any precedent in former Ages they challenge his whole Power with rudeness (o) Cypr. Ep. 10. p. 29. And he hath writ one Epistle only to shew the horrid Crime of a Deacon
power of dispensing being necessary in some Cases and commendable in others (c) Ubi necessitas urget excusabilis est dispensatio ubi utilitas provocat laudabilis Bern. de consid l. 3. c. 10. I shall only add that the Canon Law fixes the Age of Twenty five for undertaking a Cure of Souls (d) Decret Gregor l. 1. tit 6. c. 7. §. 3. col 129. and our Statute Law allows none under Twenty four to be instituted to a Living (e) Stat. Eliz. 13. c. 21. §. 3. 5. because it is fit they should be of steddy minds who undertake so great a Charge If any shall object that we in this Church admit Men something younger than was done of old I think two sufficient Reasons may be assigned for that practice First That the methods of Learning are now more compendious than in former Ages so that experience shews Men arrive at much greater degrees of skill in Languages and Sciences in Twenty four than formerly they could do in Thirty years Secondly Our Clergy are not now obliged to Vow celibacy and that is a Reason given in some later Councils why they bound them to stay to so confirmed an Age that they might upon trial of their inclinations better know whether they were able to keep such a Vow or no. §. 8. And the Bishop knowing either by himself or by sufficient testimony any Person to be a Man of vertuous conversation and without crime The Age being determined for all Orders the Preface concludes with describing the Qualifications of a Deacon the times place and publick manner of admitting one to that Order And 't is but Reason since Bishops have the sole power of Ordaining that they should use very great caution in admitting Candidates wherefore this Preface requires that they shall be well assured either by their own knowledge or by the testimonial of credible Persons that they are Men of good Lives and free from all noted Crimes and herein chiefly lies the use of Testimonials the Bishop may easily judge of their Learning but it cannot be supposed he can know how most of them have lived before their entrance into holy Orders and yet if he do admit any that have been scandalous he will not escape blame and ought to repent of it afterwards (f) Curae sit tibi maxime introducere tales quos postmodum introduxisse non poeniteat Bern. de consid l. 4. c. 4. p. 887. Wherefore our Canon wisely enjoyns they shall bring sufficient testimonials of their sober Life from such as have known and lived near them for three years before (g) Can. 34. Eccles Anglic which also foreign Canons have required (h) Nemo fiat Clericus nisi qui bonum testimonium habet Capit. Reg. Fran. lib. 6. c. 126. Now these Laws are grounded on St. Paul who makes it necessary for a Bishop to have a good testimony of those without that is of Heathens (i) 1 Tim. iii. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophil in loc and if that were requisite when most were Pagans much more is it necessary now that this part of the World is Christian The Pagans might accuse maliciously but those of our Faith should have no ends to serve but the glory of God and the interest of the true Religion so that it is justly hoped what such Men say is very true because they must wish the Church to which they belong may be as well served with good Priests and not be scandalized with bad ones And such as sign these Testimonials have it put into their Power to discover evil Men and commend only those that are worthy wherefore since so great a Trust is reposed in them they ought never to sign any Testimonial which they know to be false yea which they do not know to be true least they become guilty of bearing Falsewitness and mislead the Bishop who cannot see all things with his own Eyes nor hear all with his own Ears and so must rely on others to direct his choice (k) Miser est imperator apud quem vera reticentur qui cum ipse publice ambulare non possit necesse est ut audiat vel audita vel à pluribus roborata confirmet Capitol vit Gordian p. 668. And let him be never so desirous to keep out wicked Pastors an Hypocrite commended by eminent Hands may deceive him and then the dishonour of God and mischief to Souls which are the sad consequences of such misinformation are to be charged only upon those who for fear favour or negligence signed the false Certificate who deserve a severe Punishment in this World if our Law as the Indian did allow it (l) Apud Indos extremi digiti eorum qui falsum testimonium consignassent decurtantur Strab. Geogr. l. 15. However they shall certainly answer for it in the next World and I heard a most Reverend and Worthy Prelate now with God (m) Ar. Bp. Dolben who died April 11. 1686. charge his Clergy not to impose upon him by signing Testimonials which they did not know to be true as they would answer it to him at the dreadful day of Judgment Which being duly considered will I hope prevent that evil Custom of giving Mens hands out of Custom or Complement to mere Strangers or to oblige a Friend that we know doth not deserve it Since most of those infamous Persons that are in Orders generally crept in at this Door But as to the particulars it is necessary that the Bishop be satisfied First as to his Life and Secondly as to his Knowledge The first enquiry is into their lives (n) Ante vita quam doctrina quaerenda est Ambros in Psal cxviii 1. T. 1. p. 873. for that is over and over repeated by St. Paul that they must be blameless (o) 1 Tim. iii. 2. Titus i. 6 7. and if they be never so learned or ingenious and be not virtuous their example will do more harm than their preaching can do good they discourage the pious and harden sinners dishonour our Lord Jesus disgrace his Church and not only destroy their own but others souls also So that if men be vitious and criminal no other qualifications ought to recommend them they must by all means be kept from Holy Orders but of this more hereafter §. 9. And after examination and tryal finding him Learned in the Latine tongue and sufficiently instructed in Holy Scripture The next care of the Bishop is to examine and try the understandings of such as come to offer themselves to be ordained of which he and his Chaplains are competent Judges So that if he ordain any illiterate Person that fault must lie upon the Ordainer only since Virtue may but learning cannot be counterfeited before a learned and diligent Examiner 'T is St. Paul's injunction and so indispensible that He be apt or as the word imports able to teach (p) 1 Tim. iii. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor can
Caesarea in Cappadocia he kneeled all the time which the whole Congregation interpreted as an Omen he would become a Priest afterwards because that was the Posture of a Candidate for Orders not of a Catechumen (p) Greg. Naz. Orat. 19. de Patre suo Vide item Baron Anno 325. n. 30. p. 284. Now a Rite so well known then could be of little less than Apostolical original The Author of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy mentions it and notes that a Deacon kneeled but upon one Knee a Priest on both before the Altar while the Bishop laid his Hand on his Head (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionys Eccl. Hier. c. 5. which is also enjoyned in the Greek Rubrick (r) Eucholog Graec. pag. 256. pag. 297. But we according to the Custom of the Western Church require Deacons as well as Priests to kneel humbly upon both knees (s) Pontifical Roman p. 32. and the Lutheran Form requires them to kneel before the Altar as soon as the Questions are proposed to them (t) Ad ordinandos procumbentes coram Altari Creditisne Fidem c. Form Luth. Lips 1624. The reasons for which ancient usage are principally two First In respect to the Bishop who in this Sacred Action represents our Lord Jesus himself and executes a Power delegated to him from his and our Great Master and this Posture of Adoration is principally due to him only it is paid to the Embassador for the King of Heavens sake Secondly We must observe that though the Bishop pronounces the Words yet Christ gives the Grace and confers the Gifts which therefore the Candidate must receive with the profoundest humility and no Posture so fit as that of Prayer for he must all the time humbly and earnestly beg of Jesus to confirm the Words of his Servant the Bishop and that he would give all those good Qualities to him which are requisite for a just and conscientious discharge of this Office We put up our Petitions to Mortal Princes upon our Knees and whoever is advanced to Secular Dignity receives his Investiture from the Royal Hands kneeling how much more reasonable is it we should kneel to the King of Heaven when He is about to endue us with his Grace and invest us with an Office in his Courts §. 3. The Solemn Words Take thou Authority to execute the Office of a Deacon in the Church of God committed to thee in the Name c. There are generally certain Forms used in the admissions to all Offices Civil and Military and so it ought to be in these that are Ecclesiastical But because there are no Forms prescribed in Scripture every Church hath taken the liberty to compose its own Formularies It would suffice saith Pope Innocent if the Ordainer only said be thou a Priest or a Deacon but now Forms are made by the Church they must be used (u) Innocent de Sacram. non iterandis That of the Roman Church indeed is a very odd Form (w) Accipe Spiritum Sanctum ad robur ad resistendum Diabolo c. Pont. Rom. p. 36. and belongs no more to a Deacon than to any other Christian for they pretend to give him the Holy Spirit to enable him to resist the Devil and his Temptations The Form of the Greek Church is much better where because of that ancient error of those who did attribute the efficacy of Sacramentals to the vertue of him that Ministers them as the Ancients note (x) 1 Cor. iii. 4. Vide D. Chrys Hom 50. in Matth. Aug. Tract 6. in Jonah The Bishop humbly ascribes the whole Act to God and says The Divine Grace which always heals that which is weak and fills up that which is defective promotes N. to be a Deacon (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 N. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chol p. 250. And to the same effect they speak in the Ordaining of a Priest As to our Form it is owing to our Reformation and is as it ought to be a clear explication of the Ceremony of Laying on of Hands which signifies as was noted collation of Power and delegating Authority and therefore the Bishop says Take thou Authority c. It seems by St. Ambrose there were in his time some mystical words used at Imposition of Hands which were believed to convey authority (z) Manus vero impositiones verba sunt mystica quibus confirmatur ad hoc opus electus accipiens Authoritatem Ambr. in 1 Tim. 4. And here the Bishop in whom the Supream Power is lodged grants Authority to the Candidate to execute the Office of a Deacon which is his Commission and lawful Call giving him a right to perform all the Duties annexed to that Order Yet according to the example of the Eastern Church the Bishop declares he doth not this purely of himself but by a Power granted him from God and therefore he adds In the Name of the Father of the Son c. to intimate that the Holy and ever Blessed Trinity doth confer this Order on him We are commanded by St. Paul to do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus (a) Coloss iii. 17. Quicquid agis in nomine Dei agas R. D. Kimch in Psal 1. ver 2. from whence the Christians generally begin all their Solemn Instruments with this Form In Nomine Domini and sometimes the whole Trinity is expressed especially in Religious Ministrations such as Absolution Marriage and Holy Orders where each Person of the Trinity concurs the Father by his Providence guides the Choice the Son by his Supream Authority over the Church grants the Power the Holy Ghost by his Gifts and Graces qualifies and fits the Person now chosen One of the Greek Ritualists makes this a calling the whole Trinity to witness this Present Act (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sym. Thessai de Sacr. but I take the former to be the true sence because to do a thing in the Name of God c. is to do it as his Representative and by his Authority and so the Person is promoted to be a Deacon Ministerially by the Bishop but Originally and Principally by God himself from whom he receives this Honour humbly kneeling on his Knees and he should remember that to him he must one day give an account how he hath performed his Duty which cannot but strike his Mind with reverence and holy fear while these Solemn Words are repeated §. 4. Rubr. Delivering the New Testament Take thou Authority to read the Gospel in the Church of God and to Preach c. This is the second significant Rite used in our Ordination concerning which we shall observe That the Deacons in the Christian Church are made after the pattern of those Ministers among the Jews whose Office was to keep the Book of the Law and upon occasion to read it publickly in their Synagogues in whose stead our Saviour himself did once Minister (c) Luke vi 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
A DISCOURSE UPON THE FORM and MANNER OF Making Ordaining and Consecrating BISHOPS PRIESTS and DEACONS According to the ORDER OF THE Church of ENGLAND By THOMAS COMBER D. D. Dean of Durham and Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY LONDON Printed by Samuel Roycroft for Robert Clavell at the Peacock in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1699. TO THE Most Reverend Father in GOD THOMAS Lord Arch-Bishop of CANTERBURY Primate of all ENGLAND And Metropolitan c. May it please your Grace BY the divine Mercy and assistance I have now finished my illustration of our Publick Offices which end with these Forms of Ordination By shewing how agreeable these as well as the rest are to Scripture to pure Antiquity and to the design of this important Duty I have also compared this with the Ordinals of other Churches Ancient and Modern and hope all impartial Judges will own that ours receives great advantage by the comparison But my principal care hath been to help the Candidates for Holy Orders not only to understand but consider the whole compass of their Duty and to persuade them to perform it strictly and exactly Being well assured that nothing will more effectually conduce to the Glory of God the Honour and Establishment of this Church to the growth of saving Knowledge and Piety and the suppression of Heresie Schism and Vice than a learned and devout an exemplary and industrious Clergy And certainly 't is great pity we should not have the best of Men to officiate since we are blest with the most excellent Forms for all Divine Administrations 'T is not possible more care should be taken of this than is here as far as Rules and Offices can go But 't is your Grace and the College of Bishops must give life to the Churches Orders and to my Endeavours Your Grace hath a Right to these Papers because you are the chief Governor in Ordinations under whose Hands most of the Right Reverend the Bishops receive their Character with power to admit others to the inferior Orders Wherefore from your Graces known zeal and exemplary care we cannot but expect such measures shall every where be taken in this Affair that none shall be received into this Holy Function but such as are like to be a lasting Honour to it Our Adversaries on both Hands seem now to despair of their baffled objections against our Forms but fail not to enlarge on the popular Theme of personal reflections upon some defaulters so that if those that are already Ordained and yet offend were reformed and the unqualified kept out for the future our Enemies ill will would want matter to work on and our Sion would be the Joy of the whole Christian World If both Clergy and People could be brought up to an adequate conformity to our incomparable Rules it would immediately be apparent what all these Discourses are intended to prove that there is nothing material to be reformed in our Constitution (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot Polit. Cavendum ne si graviora inferremus vulnera dum minoribus mederi desideramus Ambr. de offic l. 2. c. 2. And therefore the one thing necessary in our Church whatever some would suggest to the contrary is to live up to our Engagements and to let care be had that our Lives be answerable to our most Holy Profession and our Practices agreeable to our Vows Which I am confident will be sincerely endeavoured by your Grace and that Heaven may prosper you and all our Governors in so just so pious and so laudable a design shall ever be the subject of his Prayers who desires on this and all occasions to approve himself My Lord Your Graces most humble and faithful Servant THO. COMBER Durham Octob. 8th 1699. ERRATA PAg. 19. Marg. at l. 31. r. R.R. expon de p. 22. l. 12. r. Druidten p. 65 l. 22. dele as p. 73. l. 10. r. a truer p. 90. l. 23. r. The person p. 93. l. 17. r. their hair p. 100. r. reverend l. 13. and p. p. Marg. r. praesident p. 104. l. 1. r. desiring them p. 117. l. 8. r. other Synods p. 133. Marg. at l. 21. r. Doctrinae p. 174. l. 11. r. Mission p. 181. l. 7. r. usage that is p. 227. Marg at l. 28. add after lectitabor Hieron p. 231. Title r. consequents p. 229. Marg. at l. 11. r. manu recenti p. 259. after the Title l. 3. r. it is a. p. 280. l. 19. r. he calleth p. 282. l. 11. r. out and coming p. 325. l. 25. r. this salutary p. 330. l. 33. r. Discipline p. 365. l. 32. r. as they ought p. 443. l. 1. r. in his name l 4. r. in my name Marg. l. 5. r. mittentis A DISCOURSE ON THE OFFICES OF ORDINATION CHAP. I. Of the Preface §. 1. IT hath been the constant use of this Church to take care pursuant to St. Paul's Rule (a) 1 Cor. XIV 26. that all her Offices may be done to Edification Which evidently appears here in premising this seasonable and instructing Preface concerning the Kinds and dignity of Holy Orders the solemn manner of being admitted to them and the Qualification of such as are to enter into any of them especially the first being the Gate to all the rest which is so proper an Introduction that we shall after our usual method first set out its several parts and then explain the whole The Analysis of the Preface This Preface shews concerning Holy Orders and Ordination these two Particulars 1st The Opinion and practice of all other regular Churches concerning 1. The distinction of the three Orders It is evident to all men diligently reading Holy Scripture and ancient Authors c. 2. The honour and respect paid to them all Which Offices were evermore had in such reverent estimation 3. The solemn manner of being admitted to them That no man might presume to execute any of the same except he were first called c. 2ly What is required by this Church in that case and therein 1. A general reason is premised And therefore that these orders may be continued and reverently c. 2ly Particular Rules laid down as to 1. All three Orders in respect of the 1. Examination No man shall be accounted or taken to be a lawful c. 2. Solemn Admission And admitted thereunto according to the Form c. 3. Ages of the Persons And none shall be admitted a Deacon except he be c. 2. That of a Deacon concerning 1. His Qualifications And the Bishop knowing either by himself or c. 2. His Admission May at the time appointed in the Canon c. §. 2. It is evident to all men diligently reading Holy Scripture and ancient Authors that from the Apostles time c. Being about to prescribe the several Forms for ordaining Deacons Priests and Bishops we studiously avoid the odious charge of Innovation and therefore appeal to Scripture and Antiquity as our Evidence that these three Orders have been in the Church
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Julian frag p. 556. The Druids who were Priests to our Heathen Ancestors trained up their Disciples twenty years together in their Discipline and then admitted them with a solemn Oath the Form of which is yet extant (a) Vettius Val. Antiochi ap Seld. Praef. de Diis Syris And when their chief Priest died a Successor was chosen by Merit only and the Common suffrage (b) Caesar de Bell. Gall. lib. 6. p. And Suetonius notes That the Emperor Claudius would admit none into the Colleges of Priests till they had first taken a solemn Oath (c) In cooptandis per Collegia sacerdotibus neminem nisi juratus nominavit Sueton. vit Claud. c. 22. which shews that all Mankind agreed to use great caution in the choosing and initiation of the Ministers about holy things But our previous care relies on a better Foundation than this for we have the command of God in Scripture and the Laws and Practice of the Primitive Church for it Our Lord no doubt chose his Apostles and lxx Disciples out of the very best of the Jews or else he made them so and because he knew their Hearts there was no need of Testimonials or Examination Yea the Apostles and their immediate Successors had the Gift of discerning Spirits (d) 1 Cor. xii 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophilac in loc that is of knowing by Inspiration who were fit for the Ministry So that they could foretel what proof they would make and such were the Prophecies that went before concerning Timothy (e) 1 Tim. iii. 18. Vide Chrys c. in loc apud Annot. Grotij ibid. This also was the meaning of St. Clement's saying The Apostles made Priests and Deacons of such as they had proved by the Spirit (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Ep. ad Corinth p. 96. and the same were such as St. John ordained in the lesser Asia Men that were marked out by the Spirit (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Hist l. 3. c. 17. p. 67. But the Apostles foresaw that this temporary miraculous Gift would cease after the Church was setled whereupon having fixed Timothy Bishop at Ephesus and Titus in Creet who were to have a subordinate Clergy he gives them Rules to direct them in examining and approving the Candidates for holy Orders (h) 1 Tim. iii. 1. c. Titus i. 6. 11.2 and charges them to Ordain none hastily that is not till they had throughly tried them (i) 1 Tim. v. 22. i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ita Theophil in loc And it is very observable that no such Rules are given in any of St. Paul's Epistles written to whole Churches only in these two that are directed to two Superior Bishops Which is a demonstration that this Apostle intended not only the Ordination but the Scrutiny and Approbation of all Ecclesiasticks should be solely in the Bishops power Now these are Injunctions laid on these Governors of the Church by Divine Authority which they are bound in Conscience to obey and how exactly every one of them was observed by the Primitive Bishops shall be shewed more particularly afterwards It is sufficient here only in general to observe that the ancient Council of Sardis Decrees The Candidates shall be examined with all exactness and care and each of them must stay no little time in the inferior before they are admitted to the superior Orders since neither Prudence nor Piety allows that Men shall enter into these Orders rashly or suddenly and the Blessed Apostle the Doctor of the Gentiles forbids the making hasty Ordinations (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Sard. Can. 10. Bever T. 1. p. 496. And before this the first General Council of Nice declares that a time and a trial is necessary to all before they can be made Clergy-men (l) Concil Nicaen 1. Can. ◠Bev. T. 1. p. 60. Can. 9. ibid. p. 70. As to our Church we not only enquire after their inward Calling but try and examine their Qualifications before that which may be counterfeited as being secret is allowed and if the same care were taken to enquire into the fitness of all that are put into secular Offices of Trust and Power as there is into the Candidates for sacred Orders the Publick would be much better served for the Ecclesiasticks must bring Testimonials and pass one if not two Scrutinies before they can be accepted of which more hereafter §. 5. And also by Publick Prayer with imposition of Hands were approved and admitted thereto by lawful Authority It would make intolerable confusion in all Professions if every Man who judged himself qualified for an Eminent Station might thrust himself into it till he were solemnly admitted by lawful Authority For every Man thinks well of himself and at this rate every conceited Soldier would be a Captain and every Opinionative Lawyer a Judge wherefore there are two things here required 1st That the Clergy shall be solemnly admitted by Prayer and Imposition of Hands 2ly That they shall be admitted by lawful Authority which will give me occasion to discourse in general First Of their solemn Admission Secondly Of Episcopal Ordination for Bishops only with us have the sole lawful Authority to admit First No Clergy-man can enter into Orders but by a solemn Admission which is appointed in Conformity to the Divine directions under the Law concerning the Garments the Sacrifice the Anointing and the Washing in the Tabernacle Exod. chap. xxix before Aaron or his Sons might Officiate I might enlarge upon the solemn Forms of admitting the various sorts of Priests among the Gentiles but for brevity sake I will only refer to one or two Authors concerning the Creation of Flamins and Vestals (m) Rosin Antiqu. l. 3. cap. 15. p. 215. item Brisson de Formul lib. 1. p. 118. Nor shall I enlarge upon all the Christian Rites of Ordination in this place because the particulars will occur afterwards Only note in general that Fasting Prayer and Imposition of Hands were always used on these occasions Our Lord directed his Disciples to Pray immediately before he created them Apostles (n) Matt. ix 38. chap. x. 1. and both Deacons and others were ordained by Fasting Prayer and Imposition of Hands (o) Acts. vi 6. chap. xii 2 3. 1 Tim. iv 14. Which holy Custom was kept up in all Ages of the Church with great Reason since it was begun by our Saviour and his Apostles and because these Orders are of so great importance to the Church 'T is plainly the Sense of all Mankind that no Office of Trust or Power should be conveyed to any sort of Men Civil or Military without some solemn Creation Admission or Investiture to the same wherefore this is much more necessary with respect to such as are Officers under the King of Heaven and entrusted with the care of Souls This then being agreed on all hands we pass to the second thing
Paul being no more but only to declare them blameless as witnesses of their Conversation and certainly so long as the Apostles lived who had so extraordinary an inspiration and so had most of their immediate Successors it had been the highest presumption for the People to meddle any further in Elections than to applaud their choice So that there is no ground in Scripture for the Peoples Right to choose their Pastor Wherefore if they had not this power from Christ nor his Apostles let us next enquire whether the Primitive Church gave them any such Right St. Clement who lived with the Apostles saith they chose Bishops and Deacons out of those they had proved by the Spirit and that the whole Church was pleased with their choice (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Ep. ad Corin. p. 100. Universa Ecclesia sibi gratum esse testante ita vertit P. de Marca lib. 8. c. 2. that is they did not give their consent before but by an after-act testified their satisfaction as that word elsewhere signifies (g) Rom. i. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. xi 48. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that the People then could not be said to elect nor yet in any of those Cases where God by immediate direction of his Spirit or by some miraculous indication singled out the Person which was to be Ordained of which for some Ages there are divers instances (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb l. 3. c. 17. p. 67. idem l. 6. c. 9. p. 156. idem ibid. c. 22. p. 169. and till the time of compiling the Apostolical Canons there were Bishops promoted by divine Grace that is by indications from the Spirit (i) Apostol Can. 80. Bever Tom. 1. p. 52. So also the People had no right to elect nor hand in the choice of Bishops in those Churches where the eldest Presbyters succeeded of course being fit or if not the Presbyters of that Church chose one out of themselves as it continued to be done at Alexandria from St. Mark down to the time of Dionysius for near 250 years (k) Hieron ad Evagr. ep 85. Tom. 2. p. 511. but Ecchellensis saith the usage remained there to much later times (l) Ambros com in cap. 4. ad Ephes T. 3. p. 504. item Ecchellens ap B. Stilling unreas of Separat p. 320. And I could give many examples though they were irregular where Bishops nominated their Successors and the People did submit to their Choice and here also they could not be said to elect The main arguments for this pretended Right are some passages of St. Cyprian and a few seeming reasons But first as to St. Cyprian though he used to consult with the Priests Deacons and People in ordaining to the lower Degrees the reason was that he might weigh every ones merits and manners by their common advice (m) Solemus vos ante consulere c. Cypr. ep 33. p. 76. But to shew this gave them no right to elect he there speaks of one that he ordained privately because he knew the Person was worthy (n) Id ibid. p. 77. and his next Epistle presents us with a like case (o) Id. ep 34. p. 80. Vid. item ep 35. p. 84. Now it is not likely this strict Father and holy Martyr would have chosen men into his Clergy without the People if they had a right to elect Besides where he runs highest to prove the Peoples presence necessary it is only that unworthy Persons may be excluded (p) Ne quis ad altaris Ministerium vel ad Sacerdotalem locum indignus obreperet Cypr. ep 68. p. 201. The election is made by the Bishops but before the People who know perfectly every ones life and have seen their Conversations (q) Episcopus deligatur plebe praesente quae singulorum vitam plenissimè novit Id. ibid. p. 202. So that here they are only witnesses and they have the testifying part but the Bishops the power of judging and approving 'T is true the People in those difficult persecuting times were forced sometimes to sieze on and compel Men to become Clerks or Bishops which was then a prologue to Martyrdom and the Governors of the Church connived at and confirmed these uncanonical Elections otherwise they might have wanted Clergy but this must not be pressed for a Precedent to our peaceable times any more than Phedimus of Amasia his choosing and dedicating Gregory Thaumaturgus Bishop of Neo-caesaria when he was distant three days journey can justifie ordaining men at a distance or one of the Crouds naming Alexander a Collier for Bishop of Comana ought to be brought to justifie the right of popular nominations these were extraordinary cases and proved well in those instances but must by no means be drawn into example The reasons also given to prove popular Elections necessary in this period before Christianity was setled are not cogent 'T is said 1st The Clergy were then chosen out of the Body of the People 2ly It was necessary they and their Pastors should be dear to each other 3ly Their maintenance was only the Peoples free-will offerings To which 't is replied that every one of the particulars are true of the Apostles times in which 't is certain the People did not elect Besides 1st The Pastors being chosen out of the People only proves that they were proper witnesses of their Conversation but not judges of their Learning which yet Electors ought to be 2ly Nothing was more likely to set variance between the Pastor and the Party which was over-voted in the choice than such popular elections as was found by sad experience afterwards (r) Vide Augustin ep 225. D. Hieron ep 60 61 62. and had that hapned in times of persecution those factions had ruined Christianity in the Cradle 3ly The defeated Party would have been provoked to withdraw their Contributions from a Pastor forced on them and so great want must have ensued in many places but I must remark though the Quantity was voluntary yet they were better Christians in those Ages than to think themselves at liberty to give less than a Tenth Part since Christ had ordained agreably to his Fathers provision under the Law that they who preached the Gospel should live of the Gospel (s) 1 Cor. ix 13 14. and whoever chose them when they were chosen this at least was their just due I shall not now mention those weak Inferences from publishing their Names to the People as if that made them Electors For that very Historian who says the Emperor Severus proclaimed the Names of his intended Governors for Provinces also notes that he gave and he chose the Men for those places So that as yet there appears no ground for any right of the People in choosing Pastors no nor in the Canons of these Ages Those called the Apostolical Forbid Bishops to be translated though the multitude force them unless the Bishops judge it
reasonable (t) Apostol Can. 14. Bev. T. 1. p. 8. They suppose a Bishop sent to a stubborn People who will not receive him (u) Apostol Can. 36. ibid. p. 24. who therefore certainly was not chosen by them yea divers of these Canons make the Bishops Judges whether the Person be worthy or no (w) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. 77 79 82. ibid. The Council of Ancyra ten years before that of Nice also speaks of Bishops constituted over a Diocess that would not receive them (x) Concil Ancyran Can. 18. Bev. Tom. 1. p. 385. from whence the learned de Marca infers That Bishops were sometimes elected and consecrated at a distance from the vacant City and without the Peoples consent (y) Petr. de Marca de Concord l. 8. c. 5. p. 358. So that nothing appears of a right thus far After Constantine had setled Christianity and Peace brought Plenty into the Church the People began to interpose in Elections and some ill men made their interest that way but to assure us this was usurpation and no right the Councils of that Age condemned it and laboured to prevent this growing encroachment The first General Council of Nice condemns the Peoples forcing Bishops to ordain new Converts as being contrary to Scripture and the Canons (z) Concil Nicaen 1. Can. 2. Bev. Tom. 1. and the Council would have all in the Province consent to every Bishops Ordination and three at least to be present the rest declaring their consent by writing however the Metropolitan must agree to it and if any difference arise the suffrage of most should prevail (a) Ibid. Can. 4. Can. 6. p. 63 66. I know some of the Patrons of popular Elections stretch these Canons to all the People in the Province But besides the absurdity of so universal an Assembly on every vacancy all other Canons which repeat and confirm these do expresly expound them of all the Bishops in the Province (b) Concil Antioch Can. 19. Bev. T. 1. p. 448. Conc. Arelat Can. 5. Bin. T. 1. p. 565. Concil Carthag Can. 13. ibid. 527. Canones Mart. Bracar Can. 3. Bin. T. 2. par 2. p. 240. So that Balsamon affirms whereas the people had medled in Elections before these Canons restrained that use and placed the sole right of choosing in the Bishops (c) Balsam in 4 can Concil Nicaen Bev. ut sopr pag. 63. and de Marca saith this Council restored the ancient right of Election to the Bishops and to restrain the contumacy of the people did not so much as name their presence (d) Petr. de Marca de Concord lib. 8. cap. 3. pag. 382. The Council of Antioch nulls the advancing of a Bishop though all the people choose him if he be not first approved by a Synod and the Metropolitan (e) Concil Antioch An. 341. can 16. Bev. Tom. 1. pag. 445. it allows not of Translations by compulsion of the people (f) Can. 21. Ib. 450. and declares the Bishops in a Synod alone have power to promote a worthy Person (g) Can. 23. ibid. In the Council of Sardica the peoples inviting Men by Letters to be their Bishops is condemned as proceeding from Bribery and tending to Sedition (h) Concil Sardic An. 347. Can. 2. Bev. Tom. 1. pag. 484. and the Peoples desire of a Bishop cannot be satisfied unless all the Bishops have notice and most agree to it (i) Can. 6. p. 490. ibid. The Synod of Laodicea appoints Elections of the Clergy shall be made in private (k) Concil Laod. An. 465. can 5. Bev. Tom. 1. pag. 455. and having declared the Judgment of the Metropolitan and his Suffragans necessary to the appointing a Bishop (l) Can. 12. p. 458. They absolutely forbid the Crouds to elect (m) Can. 13. p. 459. For now the Church began to be very sensible of those many mischiefs that were the natural and necessary consequences of the peoples usurping a part in Ecclesiastical Elections in which they had no right to meddle further than to testifie their knowledge concerning the Candidates Life and Manners Wherefore there were after this all along many good Laws made to stop this growing evil but still in great Cities especially the people encroached more and more and fell into Factions Mutinies and Seditions almost upon every vacancy which often ended in Fighting Cruelty and Bloodshed to the shame of Christianity and the scandal of the Church of which I could give very many deplorable instances but they are collected to my hand by a most Learned and now Right Reverend Author (n) Unreasonableness of separat by B. Stilling p. 318. to whom I refer the Reader being not willing to lanch out into the Laws or practices of later Ages which signifie little to create a right in the people which Christ never gave them nor did his Apostles or their Successors in the pure Ages convey it to them but it began upon some urgent necessity in a few Cases in times of Persecution it was carried on in times of Peace by Force and Faction and was forced to be taken away by the abominable abuses of it and the miserable consequences that followed on it The only wonder is that Men to gratifie a Party should suppose that Christ or his Apostles were the Authors of a thing so naturally tending to divide and disgrace the Church and so manifestly the cause of confusion and every evil work 'T is well known the generality of the People are so bad Judges that if they had such a Right the most Votes would commonly fall on the worst Men (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. ap Stohaeum an empty cunning and plausible Hypocrite would easily get more suffrages among the Mob of a City than the most knowing humble and holy Men who least seek the honour they most deserve and if the Election were to be made in an assembly of the better sort of Citizens as was practised in some places a while the matter would not be much mended for in such Bodies of Men as Pliny well observes the Opinions are numbred not weighed and therefore in such Assemblies nothing is more unequal than this seeming equality for though the Members be unequal in Sense and Understanding yet their right to Vote is equal (p) Plin. Epist lib. 2. ep 12. p. 109. and this may suffice at present to say of this Matter for I shall afterwards have occasion to shew how the Bishops regained their original Right in naming and choosing the inferior Clergy and the Emperors and Princes with the Clergy elected Bishops and so put a period to the Mischiefs that had arisen every where from popular Elections And now I return to that ancient and just Privilege which our Church still preserves to the People that is a Liberty upon good grounds to accuse any of them who come for holy Orders §. 6. Rubr. iii. And if any great Crime or
Impediment be objected the Bishop shall surcease from ordering that Person until such time as the Party accused shall be found clear of that Crime That the people had of old a liberty to object in order to discover to the Bishops such as were unworthy hath been shewed already and if it be prudently managed 't is an excellent method to prevent his mistake who hath the sole power to approve But we find by St. Chrysostom that in his time these Accusations were too many and proceeded from prejudice rather than honest zeal Go saith he and behold the publick Festivals where according to Law they usually elect Ecclesiastical Governors and you shall see a Priest loaded with as many faults as there are numbers of people to be governed so that they who have Power to give the honour are also divided into many parties and the Assembly of the Clergy scarce can agree with one another or the Candidate (q) Chrysost de sacerd lib. 3. Tom. 6. Edit Sav. p. 23. To correct this one of the ancient Apostolical Canons decrees that nothing but proving the Accusation can stop a Man from being ordained (r) Can. Apostol 61. Bev. T. 1. p. 40. Zonaras in loc for as Julian the Emperor said well if to accuse be sufficient who can be innocent (s) Si accusasse sufficiat quis erit innocens Martin in vita coram oper And further least any out of evil will or ill principles should be prompted to invent false stories of the Clergy especially the higher Order A general Council and other Synod did forbid Hereticks and those under censure or excommunicate Persons to be admitted to accuse and the like was ordered as to Schismaticks (t) Concil Gen. 2. ap Const can 6. Bev. T. 1. p. 93. Concil Chalc. can 21. Apost can 75. Cypr. ep 42. 55. because it might justly be presumed that such as were Enemies to the Church were moved by malice or revenge to bring in false accusations But if the accuser be a credible Person then the Candidate must clear himself before he can be admitted to holy Orders Which is so great a disgrace loss and injury to the Party accused that he who charges a Man in these circumstances had need be very sure he can prove the Crime so that of old it was determined the accuser should be bound in an Obligation to pay or suffer an equivalent to the damages of the accused if he did not make good his charge (u) Nam inscriptio primo semper fiat ut talionem calumniator recipiat Damas Ep. 4. ad Steph. cap. 7. ita Concil Constant can 6 ut supra which is so very rational that it is decreed both in the Civil and Canon Law in all other cases (w) Leg. Honor. Theod. LL. 10. c. de calumn Gratian decret par 2. caus 2. qu. 3. cap. 3. and there is as good grounds for it in this case as in any other because it takes away both a Mans Lively-hood and also his good Name But if no such Obligation be required by our Church yet Men should do as they would be done by none would have their little faults aggravated nor suspected crimes published and solemnly averred and since more or less all are faulty the consideration of our own frailty should make us not very forward to accuse others to which end some ancient Ordinals when they invite the people to declare pray them to be mindful of their own Condition (x) Cum fiduciâ exeat dicat veruntamen memor sit conditionis suae Codex Corbei apud Morin p. 272. ita Pontif. Rom. p. 31. 40. since they also may fall or as some Books have it mindful of their own Communion (y) Communionis suae Morin ibid. p. 267. 284. viz. that he is a Brother who is thus charged by them whose faults if they be not mischievous and notorious Charity obliges those of the same Communion to excuse and cover Yet after all if the people know any great crimes of which these Candidates are guilty it is much better to declare them now when by such a discovery they may keep ill Men out than to accuse them and divulge their faults afterwards when the accusation tends only to the dishonour of Religion and the hindring the success of their Ministery and it will be supposed to proceed rather from malice than a zeal for Gods glory or love to the Church unless the complaint be made in private to their Superiors who have power to reform these Offenders Finally if any of these Candidates know any great Enormities they have committed though no Man accuse them yet God and their own Consciences know they are unworthy of so high and holy a Calling and will be a blemish to it whenever they are discovered So that without a long Repentance and such a change of Heart and Manners as may secure them from relapsing I must advise these Persons not to presume to offer themselves for if the Bishop do not God in whose place he stands will punish this presumption And I know some Conscientious Persons yet alive who were otherways extraordinarily qualified for holy Orders that meerly by reflecting on some of their too common juvenile extravagancies durst not take the Ministry upon them but applied themselves to Callings less grateful to them §. 7. Rubr. iv Then the Bishop commending such as shall be found meet to be ordered to the Prayers of the Congregation shall with the Clergy and People present sing or say the Litany c. If there be no Objection the Office proceeds and first the Bishop commends those who are found fit to the Prayers of the People and if any Priests are ordained that being the more weighty Office a space is allowed for the Congregations private Devotions for some of them may be Friends or Relations to the Candidate or be such as are to be under their charge and then they will desire time to put up particular requests for them for which this vacant time gives them an opportunity but even they who have no such special ties are obliged as Christians and Members of that Church wherein these Men are to officiate to pray heartily that its Clergy may be rightly chosen and replenished with grace since that is a common blessing to all good Christians in every part of the Nation The ancient Western Offices referring to the peoples crying Worthy Worthy do immediately order them all to joyn in their Prayers to God as they have done in their testimony of these Men saying let your common prayer follow your common consent (z) Commune votum Communis prosequatur Oratio c. Ver. Ordin ap Morin p. 263. Liturg. Gallic ap Mabillon lib. 3. p. 305. Pontif Rom. p. 32. and as now the whole Congregation hath at least by their silence consented to their admission So they are concern'd for the general good earnestly to pray for them 'T is a
Diocesses ruled after once Parish Churches were Built far distant from their Cathedrals unless they had one or more certain setled Ministers there who should under them Rule that portion of their Flock (n) Ecclesiae rurales in Concil Sardic can 12. Diaconi plebem regentes Conc. Elib can 77. Qui per Diocoeses Ecclesias regunt Conc. Agath 2. can 22. Item Tolet. 3. can 20. and be accountable for the same to God and to their Ecclesiastical Superior (o) Episcopis subjecti sunt Conc. Arel 1. can 12 13. 19. Now the Deacons Duties in these Churches where they are appointed to serve are six 1st To assist the Priest in Prayers 2ly In the Administration of the Sacrament 3ly To Read the Scripture and Homilies 4ly To Catechise 5ly To Baptize 6ly To Preach if he be Licensed thereto 1st A Deacon as his very name imports is to Minister to a Bishop or a Priest in the Celebration of Divine Offices (p) Diaconus non ad Sacerdotium sed ad ministerium ordinatur Concil Carthag 4. can 4. Diaconi ministerium presbyteri officium Innocent decr 21. and to serve those of the higher Orders which of old was generally practised especially in the Greek Church Where the Deacon repeats the short Litany and some brief Collects and pronounces some Sentences such as Let us attend Let us hear the Holy Gospel (q) Eucholog Miss Chrys p. 64 65 68 69. and the like And in our Cathedrals they often Read the Litany the Epistle and the Confession at the Altar and the Priests perform all the rest of the Service Before the modern invention of Lay-Parish-Clerks there was generally a Priest and a Deacon in every Church the latter of which repeated the Confession Lords Prayer and the Creed after the Priest and made all the Responses as our Clerks now do But of late Deacons are usually fixed as Curates under some Eminent Priest in whose absence the whole Divine Service is left to them and they Read all the Prayers except the Absolution which it is the Privilege of a Priest alone to repeat Now since Deacons are so frequently trusted with the performance of all the Liturgy and other Duties in considerable Churches in our days therefore our Bishops ought to be very sure they are sufficiently qualified for so great a Charge and should expect them to have more Learning and Prudence than was required in the Candidates for this Order of old while they were always under the Eye of a Bishop or Presbyter and were only to assist one of them in the lower parts of the Offices 2ly The Deacons Office as to the Holy Communion remains the same that it was in the Primitive Church where they were never allowed to consecrate the Sacred Elements for none but a Bishop or a Priest at least were permitted to do that (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Const l. 8. cap. 28. ita Concil Nicaen 1. can 18. Bev. T. 1. p. 80. Concil Arelat 1. can 25. His non permissum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan haer 79. and the penalty upon a Deacon if he presumed to Consecrate was to be deposed (s) Fulberti Carnotens Epist 36. His Office is when the Sacrament is Consecrated to assist the Priest or Bishop in distributing the same to the Congregation which was their part in this Mystery as anciently as Justin Martyr's time who says The Deacon makes all that are present partakers of the Consecrated Bread and Wine (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Apol. 2. p. 97. but especially they use to distribute the Cup of which then all the people not the Priests alone used to drink (u) Solennibus adimpletis calicem Diaconus offerre praesentibus coepit Cypr. de laps vers fin and it appears that the Custom in the Roman Church also was till of late time for all the People to receive the Cup or else this could not have been the Deacons Office there who need not assist the Bishop or Priest in giving the Cup if he alone had drunk of it But St. Laurence the Deacon (w) Experire utrum idoneum ministrum elegeris cui commisisti Dominici sanguinis dispensationem Laurent ad Sixtum Papam Ambros de offiic l. 1. c. 41. saith to Pope Sixtus you have committed to me the dispensing of the Blood of Christ And Tho. Aquinas affirms That in his time the Deacons performed this (x) Unde Christi sanguinem dispensat de Diacono Aquin. in 4. d. 24. and so do many other of the Writers of the Roman Church (y) Rab. Maur. de instit cler l. 1. c. 6. Alcuin de Officiis Hugo de S. Victor l. 1. de Sacr. c. 38. By which we see they have been guilty of a notorious Innovation in their giving the Communion only in one kind But to return the Deacons should learn from hence to be humble and pay a great respect to the higher Order who hath power to Consecrate the Body and Blood of Christ of which he is only the dispenser (z) Diaconus ita se Presbyteri ut presbyter Espiscopi ministrum noverit Conc. 4. Carth. can 37. Bin. T. 1. p. 589 the Priests are their Supeperiors and as such they must reverence their Persons observe their Commands and endeavour to learn from their Discourse and Example how to behave themselves especially in God's House where though they be inferior to the Presbyters yet they are in the execution of their Office superior to the People and it is no small honour to be called to distribute the Symbols of our Saviour's Body and Blood those pledges of his Love and Seals of our Salvation Let our Deacon therefore purifie himself before he presume to touch those Sacred Elements let him deliver them reverently devoutly lifting up his Heart to God and with a fervent charity Praying for every Soul that comes to receive at his Hands and let the people honour and esteem him who in this Action is the representative of Christ who by his Hand gives himself verily and indeed to every Worthy Communicant 3ly It is his Office to read the Holy Scripture to the people as was shewed before but it is further remarked here that he is also to read Homilies in the Church Which is no new injunction for an ancient Council Orders that when the Priest is infirm and cannot Preach the Deacon shall read the Homilies of the Fathers (a) Concil Vasens 2. can 2. An. 529. Bin. T. 2. par 1. pag. 641. In those old Archives of St. Remigius among the necessary Books are reckoned 40 Homilies of St. Gregory (b) Vid. Notas Baluz in Tom. 2. Capitul p. 1159. And Charles the Great charges his Bishops not to suffer any to Preach new and uncanonical things to the people of their own Heads (c) Capitul Car. Mag. An. 789. cap. 80. p. 240. To prevent which by the hand of Paul the Deacon he collected the best things
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
Candidate first by a visible Sign viz. Laying his Hands on the Persons Head which is one of the most ancient Rites in the World for conferring any Blessing Dignity or Power For thus it was used before the Law (s) Gen. xlviii 14. and under the Law also (t) Numb xxvii 18 23. Deut. xxxiv 9. And from the constant use of the Jews the Apostles brought it into the Ordinations of the Christian Church and used it so constantly (u) Acts vi 6. xiii 3. 1 Tim. iv 14 ver 22. 2 Tim. i. 6. that the word even in Scripture is put for the Act of Ordination (w) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. xiv 23. and all Ecclesiastical Writers Fathers Historians and Collectors of Councils use the Laying on of Hands for conferring Holy Orders as might be proved if it were necessary by innumerable instances but in a matter so very plain we will content our selves with a few which will suffice to shew this was an Apostolical and Primitive Rite and an Essential Part of Ordination The ancient Author under the name of Dionysius saith the Imposition of Hands gives the Priestly Character and Power (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccles Hier. c. 5. and St. Basil saith by Laying on of Hands they receive the Spiritual Gift (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil ad Amphil. Can. 1. Bev. Tom. 2. p. 48. A Priest is made as another hath it by the Power of the Holy Ghost by the Bishops Voice and Laying on of his Right Hand (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jov. Monach. ap Phot. The Ordination of the Clergy as St. Hierom speaks is compleated by two things Laying on of Hands and a Prayer of the Lips (a) Hieron lib. 16. in Jesai The same is also affirmed by all the Schoolmen who generally make this Imposition of Hands necessary to the conferring of Holy Orders (b) Durand Ration fol. 21. D. Tho. 3. p. qu. 84. art 4. Bonavent in 4. sent dist 24. art 2. qu. 1. and the Canon Law decrees if it have been omitted it must be supplied cautiously afterward without repeating the whole Office (c) Greg. de decret l. 1. Tit. 16. de Sacram. non iterand c. 3. p. 310. Remarkable is the Story of Marcianus an holy Bishop who having ordained an evil Man wished his Hands had rather been thrust into an heap of Thorns than laid on the Head of Sabbatius at his Ordination (d) Socrat. Hist lib. 5. cap. 20. and we read of some Orthodox Priests who with indignation thrust away the Hands of Arrian Bishops when they would have laid them on their Heads (e) Theod. Hist l. 4. c. 14. And as to the mystical meaning of this Ceremony I find it variously explained some will have it signifie the taking them into God's special protection (f) Ita Dionys Eccl. Hier. cap. 5. Et Simeon Thessal in Eucholog pag. 257. others the granting them power to act because the Hand is the instrument of action (g) Cyril in Jesai l. 5. Manum Dei potestatem Dei dixit Aug. Com. in Psal lxxii T. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ita Pachymer Schol. in Dionys others the plentiful imparting to them the Gifts of the Spirit for Gifts are distributed by the hand (h) D. Tho. Aquin. ubi supr But the most natural signification of it seems to be the Bishops delivering them a power to officiate in the Church and to administer holy things but because he doth this in God's Name and by Authority from him the Candidate should lift up his Heart to Heaven and pray for grace to fit him for this weighty Charge There is only to be further observed as to this Rite The difference between the two Orders for at the Ordination of a Deacon the Bishop alone lays his Hands on the Head of the Candidate but when a Priest is ordained the Priests that are present do all lay on their hands with the Bishop which some would derive from Timothy's being ordained with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery but the Greek Fathers and Ethiopick Version expound that of the Bishops who joyned with St. Paul in making Timothy a Bishop (i) 1 Tim. iv 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 〈◊〉 Theoph. in loc Impositione Manuum Episcoporum Vers Aethiop And in the Greek Church none but the Bishop lays on his Hand at the Ordination of a Priest as well as of a Deacon (k) Euchol in Ordin Diac. p. 250. in Ord. Presbyteri p. 293. So that it is an ancient usage only of the Western Church mentioned as early as the 4th Council of Carthage An. 398. where it is said when a Priest is Ordained all the Presbyters that are present shall joyn with the Bishop in laying on Hands But at a Deacons Ordination only the Bishop lays on his Hands (l) Omnes Presbyteri qui praesentes sunt manus suas juxta manum Episcopi super caput ejus tenent Concil 4. Carthag Can. 3. Solus Episcopus qui eum benedicit manum super caput illius ponat ibid. Can. 4. Bin. T. 1. p. 588. and from that Council it hath been taken into the Rubrick of the Roman Pontifical (m) Pontif. Roman p. 36. postea in Ord. Presbyt vid. Morin de Ord. Latin p. 269. and ours as well as other Reformed Churches (n) Liturg Belgic pag. 261. Formul Lutheran Lips 1624. but I do not think the import of it to be any more than to do some greater Honour to the higher Order of Priests and so to distinguish it from that of a Deacon unless it be in token of the College of Presbyters consenting to the Bishops ordaining one into their Body for of old they were his Council and the Bishop was not to ordain any without their advice (o) Episcopus absque Concilio Presbyterorum Clericos non ordinet Excerp Egbert Can. 44. An. 750. Spelm. T. 1. p. 263. So that the Presbyters laying on of Hands only and always with a Bishop cannot imply their having any direct power in Ordination but only their agreeing to the election testified by their publick joyning in this Act of their Solemn Admission But a Priest being a very Honourable Order in the Church of Christ it is very fit the Bishop should advise with his Clergy of that Degree concerning the Qualifications of those who offer themselves for this Sacred Order and it may be of good use that all the Priests present being fully satisfied as to every particular mans endowments may the more heartily joyn with the Bishop in praying to God to give them grace suitable to this undertaking § 2. Rubr. Humbly kneeling before him This Posture of receiving Holy Orders kneeling was so well known and so constantly practised in the Pure Ages of the Primitive Church that when Gregory Nazianzen's Father being then but a Youth was sent to be publickly Catechized by Leontius Bishop of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan Minister stat recitat de Lege Lib. Massech Suc. So that the place was honourable though inferiour to that of the Ruler of the Synagogue In like manner the Deacons proper Office was to read the Holy Scripture in the Christian Assemblies as divers of the Ancients have particularly noted (d) Evangelium Christi quasi Diaconus lectitabor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. constit l. 2. c. 57. and Sozomen recites it as a Custom peculiar to Alexandria that only the Arch-Deacon read the Gospel there whereas the ordinary Deacons read it elsewhere (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozom Hist l. 7. cap. 19. At Carthage where they had a peculiar order of Lectors the Bible was delivered not to the Deacons but to the Reader with these words Take this Book and be thou a Reader of God's word and if thou art faithful and useful in this Office thou shalt have a part with them who have ministred the word of God (f) Concil 4. Carthag can 8. Bin. Tom. 1. pag. 588. But we having laid aside this Office properly deliver it to the Deacon wherein we are conformable to the ancient Churches In the Syrian Formularies it is peculiar that the Bishop delivers to every one of the Deacons a Book of the Epistles and to the Priests a Book of the Gospels g (h) Ordinat Syror. ap Morin p. 451. p. 458. The words spoken at the delivery of the Holy Book have been varied in the Western Church For in one of their ancient Ordinals supposed to be 800 years old and taken out of a Saxon or English Book The Bishop said unto the Deacon Take this volume of the Gospel read and understand it and do thou both deliver it to others and fulfil it in thy Works (h) Accipe istud volumen Evangelij lege intellige aliis trade tu opere ad imple Form ver ap Morin de Ord. Lat. p. 286. But in the modern Roman Church the Bishop absurdly says Take thou power to read the Gospel in the Church of God as well for the living as for the dead in the name of God Amen (i) Accipe potestatem legendi Evangelium in Ecclesia Dei tam pro vivis quam pro defunctis in nomine Domini Amen Pontif Rom. p. 17. But that we may be assured this Botch was added in the blind Ages Morinus (k) Post haec verba Ecclesia Dei in inferiori margine Scriptura recenti atramento planè alio Tam pro vivis quam pro defunctiis c. Morin de ord Latin p. 337. hath discovered these words as well for the living as the dead were put into the Margin of an Ordinal of near 600 years old in a modern hand and later Ink So that this corruption hath been designed since their false Doctrine of Purgatory was set up however 't is impossible to reconcile the words either to Truth or good Sence The Gospel may profit the living who can hear it but the dead cannot exercise that Sense and so can have no benefit by anothers reading thereof The Spirit therefore calls upon living Men and saith We must hear God's Voice to day (l) Hebr. iii. 17. And the Orthodox Fathers teach us there is no more hopes of finding any comfort in the next World for them who are not cleansed from their Sins in this (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Gen. Hom. 5. T. 1. p. 26. Vid. Aug. de temp Ser. 66. fol. 159. If Men die without Faith and Repentance neither Prayers nor Reading can work these Graces in them Unless they fansie as some Charmers of old did That there is a Magical power in the words of Holy Scripture that can operate upon disembodied Spirits which is a wickedness severely condemned especially in Clergy-men by an ancient Council (n) Concil Laod. can 36. Balsam Zon ibid. Bev. Tom. 1. p. 469. Not. T. 2. p. 196. and is one sort of conjuration which by abusing God's word borders upon Blasphemy (o) Vid. Camerar Oper. subseciv Tom. 3. cap. 30. pag. 104. So that this Addition makes the Roman Form more like the creation of a Necromancer than a Christian Deacon and therefore our Reformers justly cast out this late corruption and restored the Form to its ancient Purity Giving our Deacon a Power and Right to Read the Scripture which being the Word and Will of God and the Means of our Salvation should be Read plainly and deliberately with affectionate Devotion and fervent Charity to the living because this is their only day of Grace and unless it work upon them now while it is called to day they shall never see or hear these Holy Books more till they be opened to their Condemnation at the last Judgment As to the Deacons duty in Reading and Preaching also by License from the Bishop I have spoken before and shall only add this caution That it is not safe for young Preachers to meddle with nice Points and high Speculations in their Sermons plain truths and practical matters being easier and safer for them to Preach and far more profitable for their People to hear or in the words of Seneca (p) Senec. de benef l. 7. cap. 1. There are no things hard to be found out but only such as afford no other advantage to the finder but that he hath found them whatever will make us better and happier lies open and is near at hand CHAP. V. Of the Consequence after Ordination §. 1. OF the Gospel In our usual Service the Epistle and Gospel stand together but in this Office they are separated and the Ordination it self intervenes and did so of old for in an Ordinal writ above 800 years ago we have this Rubrick That the greater Orders shall be conferred before the Gospel the lesser after the Communion (q) Majores gradus ante Evangelium minores vero post Communionem dantur Vid. Morin de ordin Latin par 2. p. 270. Now the Deacon is the first of the greater Orders and the Reason of setting the Gospel immediately after his Ordination was that the new ordained Person might immediately exercise his Authority and give proof of his fitness for this part of his Office in solemnly reading the Gospel for by our Church as well as the Roman it is ordered That one of them appointed by the Bishop shall read the Gospel (r) See our Rubrick here Aliquis de noviter ordinatis dalmaticâ indutus Evangelium dicit Pontif. Rom. p. 39. The Portions chosen for this occasion have been divers One of the ancient Gallican Forms had Luk. ix from ver 57 to ver 62 (s) Liturg. Gallican ap Mabillon l. 2. p. 170. which is not so proper by much as this Gospel out of St. Luke xii from to ver 35. to ver 38. appointed by our Reformers under King Edw. the sixth (t) Vid. Sparrow's Coll. p.
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
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
of all the Clergy and People (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agapet epist ibid. p. 686. So that in this City the Emperors had the chief hand in Episcopal Elections Yet we see in all Regular Elections there and elsewhere the Bishops met in Council not only to Consecrate but to Judge of the fitness of the Party desired by the People or recommended by the Emperor and therefore they are said to choose Bishops and to have the power of promoting such as are Worthy (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Anl. Can. 23. Bev. T. 1. p. 450. that is in their judgment And if any objection were made especially as to the conversation of the Candidate the Bishops were to examine and determine the matter before such as had been formerly acquainted with the Person accused For the African Code saith When we meet for choosing a Bishop if any Objection do arise the three Bishops shall not determine it but desiring two more to be added to them shall examine it before that People over whom he is to preside and then they may ordain him if he be found innocent (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cod. Can. Eccl. Afr. Can. 50. Bin. Tom. 1. p. 761. Bev. T. 1. p. 577. ubi dicitur Can. 54. Concil Carthag Nor did the Peoples desire of a certain Person give him that was so desired a good Title for another Canon of that Code saith He that is sent to take care of a vacant See shall not seize it on pretence that the People desired him (w) Cod. Can. Eccl. Afric 74. Bin. ut supr p. 770. Concil Carthag Can. 77. Bev. ut supr p. 611. because the other Bishops were Judges whether the Party were worthy or no. Hence St. Ambrose speaking of Anysius Bishop of Thessalonica saith that he was desired by the People of Macedon and chosen to the Chief Priesthood by the Bishops (x) Ad summum Sacerdotium à Macedonicis obsecratus populis electus à Sacerdotibus Ambr. l. 3. ep 22. p. 230. The same Father looks upon this approbation of a Synod as an indication of God's choice for he tells those of Vercelles (y) Idem ibid. Epist 25. p. 245. He that is to pray for the People is to be chosen by the Lord and approved by the Bishops least any offence be found in him that is to intercede for others But that which secured this Right in the Bishops to judge of Candidates was a Custom which began in this Age and which some weakly urge to prove Popular Elections that is The Clergy and Peoples subscribing a Petition and presenting it to the Metropolitan who with his Suffragans determined the Election as they saw fit In the end of the Fourth Century Pope Siricius speaks of some that came from far and had been approved by the People (z) De longinquo veniant Ordinandi ut digni possint plebis nostro judicio comprobari Siric Ep. 3. Bin. p. 561. but must have also his judgment as Metropolitan before they could be made Bishops a And within twenty years after Zosimus his Successor commends an Archbishop for keeping out Novices from Bishopricks though desired by the People telling him the Rules of the Fathers and the Authority of the Apostolical See were on his side (a) Tecum faciunt praecepta Patrum tecum Apostolicae sedis Autoritas Zosim Ep. 1. ibid. p. 711. adding withal that these Men were let in by the remisness of such Bishops as sought the favour of the multitude and thought the good opinion of a Croud to be their highest honour (b) Facit hoc nimia remissio consacerdotum nostrorum qui pompam multitudinis quaerunt id ibid. So that the Bishops were under no necessity to grant this Petition if they disliked the Persons however the People did petition their Metropolitan as we see by that example of a Petition from the Clergy and People to Patroclus Metropolitan and Bishop of Arles (c) Bonifac. Ep. 3. Bin. ibid. p. 721. An. 418. and Pope Celestine declares none must be made a Bishop over the unwilling the consent and desire of the Clergy People and Magistrates is required (d) Cleri plebis ordinis consensus desiderium requiratur Caelest Ep. 2. §. 5. ibid. p. 736. But if they chance to desire an ill Man the same Celestine saith The People are to be taught and not followed by the Bishops and if they know not what is lawful and what not should not be complied with but rather admonished by their Superiors (e) Docendus est populus non sequendus nosque si nesciunt eos quid lictas quidve non liceat commonere non his consensum praebere debemus Celest Epist 3. §. 3. p. 737. But none stood more upon this Subscription than Pope Leo who decrees That Bishops are to be peaceably and quietly desired and let them present the subscription of the Clergy the testimony of the Nobles and the consent of the Magistrates and People (f) Teneatur subscriptio clericorum honoratorum Ordinis consensus Testimonium plebis Leo. Ep. 89. p. 468. Yet still he refers all to the Judgment of the Metropolitan and saith None can be a Bishop that is not elected by the Clergy desired by the People and consecrated by the Provincial Bishops according to the Judgment of the Metropolitan (g) Nulla ratio sinit ut inter Episcopos habeatur qui nec à Clericis sunt electi nec à plebibus sunt expetiti nec à Provincialibus Episcopis cum Metropolitani judicio sunt consecrati Idem Ep. 92. p. 475. And more plainly in another place he saith He shall be preferred who is desired by the concurrent consent of the Clergy and People but if the Votes be divided He shall be chosen by the Judgment of the Metropolitan who hath most merits (h) Si vota diviserint Metropolitani judicio is alteri praeferatur qui majoribus studiis juvatur meritis Idem Epist 84. pag. 449. And 't is very observable these are all Directions given by Leo to Metropolitans and Chief Bishops who then were Electors It seems also that about this time the same method was used in the East for in the Fourth General Council of Chalcedon it was ordered That when a Metropolitan died they should gather the suffrages of the Clergy possessors and honourable Men and after that of all the venerable Bishops in the Province and then he shall be chosen who shall by them be thought worthy (i) Concil Chalced. Act. 16 â—in Tom. 2. p. 343. Where the Clergy are first and last in the Election and here the Metropolitan being supposed to be deceased could not be named but as to other Sees the final judgment was in him For though Bassianus and Stephanus both proved they were elected by their several parties of the Clergy and People to be Bishops of Ephesus yet not being consecrated by
Spain were become Christians Baronius owns that long before the XII Council of Toledo viz. An. 681. those Princes had challenged a right to nominate their Bishops to a Synod who were to consecrate them (b) Baron Annal. in An. 681. num 60. And he observes that this method causing delaies by Reason Synods could not be so often convened as vacancies happened therefore that Council of Toledo made this Canon That it shall be lawful for the Bishop of Toledo the Metropolitan to consecrate such Bishops into vacant Sees as the King had chosen and he did approve as worthy (c) Quoscunque regalis Potestas elegerit jam dicti Episcopi judicio dignos esse probaverit c. Concil Tolet. xii can 6. Bin. Tom. 3. pag. 274. And in another Council there we have an instance of a regal Election for a Bishop named Sisebutus being there deprived for Treason the Council confirmed Foelix whom the King had before appointed for his Successor and he was then acknowledged the lawful Bishop of that See (d) Alio tamen principali Electione ibidem instituto Concil Tolet. XVI praefat ibid. p. 318. An. 693. Which Prerogative the succeding Kings of Spain enjoyed and used for many Ages So they did also in France as appears from Gregory of Tours who writ his History about the year 590. And he generally speaks of all Bishops as chosen by the Kings from the days of Clovis the first Christian King An. 490. until his own time out of whom many instances are collected to my hand (e) Vide Exempl Collect. per Bilson de perpet gub Eccles cap. 15. p. 352. c. And whereas some very unfit persons were sometimes advanced by the Court without the consent of the Metropolitan A Synod at Paris An. 559. decreed That such as were made Bishops by the King without the Metropolitans consent should not be received by the People (f) Concil 3. Paris Can. 8. Bin. Tom. 2. par 2. p. 247. But when by vertue of this Canon the Bishops degraded one so nominated and sent a Petition to the King to choose another he was so enraged that he used the Messenger very badly and took upon him to restore the ejected Bishop (g) Vide Gregor Turon lib. 4. cap. 26. p. 147. Bin. Tom. 2. par 2. p. 215. Now since all the Predecessors of Charles the great had exercised this Power while they were only Kings of France no doubt he did not lose it by being made Emperor as to his own Kingdom and if he had any grant of such a Power from Pope Adrian it must only be understood as a confirmation of those Rights in his new Conquests which the Eastern Emperors and other Princes before had there enjoyed and so I understand that Speech of Gregory the Sixth Circ A. 1046. recorded in one of our old Historians who on his Death-bed said Our Predecessor Adrian of famous Memory is commended for granting the investiture of Churches to Charles the Great so that a Bishop elect could not be consecrated till he was first invested by the Kings delivering to him a Ring and a Staff (h) Malmsbur de gest regum lib. 2. p. 47. b. 'T is certain this Emperor did nominate his Bishops Which was a point so well setled in the days of his grandchild Charles the Bald that the Bishops in a Synod say to him speaking of this matter Bishops are given us by God and regularly appointed by you (i) Episcopi à Deo dati à vobis i. e. Regibus regularitèr designati Synod ap Theod. Vill. cap. 2. An. 845. Capit. Tom. 2. pag. 9. So that for the King to appoint Bishops was then thought a regular way which also appears by the Testimony of Pope John the eighth An. 872. who saith The assent of the Emperor is to be expected in the promotion of Bishops (k) Johan 8. Ep. 34. ap Bin. Tom. 3. par 2. p. 13. and he calls him a lawful Bishop who was chosen by the Clergy and People and confirmed by the Emperor (l) Idem Ep. 70. ibid. p. 24. The same Pope desires Caroloman to make Gospert the Deacon Bishop of Vercelles (m) Idem Ep. 71. ibid. pag. 49. and he affirms in another Epistle that this Prince gave him that Church after the manner used by his Predecessors (n) More praecessorum suorum regum imperatorum Id. Epist 223. p. 69. 'T is needless to proceed lower where instances are without number especially since the Kings of France still claim this power though some of later Ages have allowed the Popes to confirm such as they had named to some of the greater Sees That which is most directly to our purpose is to shew the grounds on which our own Kings of England claim this Royal Prerogative to name their Bishops Which are first ancient usage for our eldest Historians speak of the Saxon Kings even from their first conversion as chosing and appointing Bishops So Bede tells us soon after Christianity was setled here that Ecbert and Oswy two Saxon Princes named Wighard to be Arch-bishop of Canterbury with the consent of the Holy Church of England (o) Bed Histor lib. 3. cap. 30. p. 248. lib. 4. cap. 1. p. 253. cir An. 666. And the History of S. Wilfrid alone is sufficient proof that the Election of the Clergy and People confirmed by the Pope was not able to make a Bishop without the Kings allowance (p) Malmsbur de gest Pontif. l. 3. in Wilfrid King Alfred named Denewolf to be made Bishop of Winchester (q) Idem ibid. p. 138. and he chose Asserius Bishop of Schireburn (r) Id. de gest regum lib. 2. cap. 4. p. 24. Robert was preferred to the Arch-bishoprick of Canterbury upon the nomination of King Edward the Confessor (s) Id. ibid. cap. 13. pag. 45. And Ingulphus speaking of that Princes time saith for many years before that the Elections of Prelates had not been free and Canonical that is made by the Clergy but the Court conferred all Dignities of Abbots and Bishops as they thought fit (t) A multis annis retroactis nulla electio Praelatorum erat libera canonica sed omnes dignitates tam Episcoporium quam Abbatum Regis Curia conferebat Ingulph fol. 509. b. Which plainly looks back to the usage in the times of the old Saxon Kings So that Eadmerus need not have represented it as a new thing in William the Conqueror to appoint Bishops (u) Eadmer Histor nov lib. 1. p. 6. 'T is true he did nominate Remigius to the See of Dorchester (w) Matth. Paris An. 1085. p. 12. And he is said to have chosen Lanfranc to be Bishop of Canterbury (x) Malmsbur de gest Pontif. p. 116. b. but so had all his Ancestors done And so did his Successors For King William Rufus on his sick Bed named Anselm for the See of Canterbury then void
received by the Church for which end they promise upon the third Question to exercise themselves in Study and Prayer to gain a complete understanding of the Holy Scripture And if a Bishop be throughly inlightned with this Divine knowledge the bright beams thereof will banish all Erroneous Opinions and make them disperse as the Mists before the Rays of the resplendent Sun The inferior Clergy may confute false Doctrines but Bishops being supposed to have more Skill and Experience as well as more Age and Authority they must drive them away They are set in the Watch-towers to discover Heresies and like wise and valiant Generals one of which is worth a whole Army (e) 2 Sam. xviii 3. Solent plus reponere in duce quam exercitu Tacit. de Morib Germ. p. 663. must not only Fight against them themselves but must advise manage and encourage all the Under-officers and Soldiers Hence the ancient Canons lay great stress upon the Bishops care in this matter And order That if any Bishop let the Hereticks alone in any part of his Diocess and another Bishop shall convert them that Town shall be given to the latter Bishop (f) Concil Carthag can 122. ap Ber. T. 1. p. 655. And the former Bishop is to be admonished of this neglect so as if he persist in this negligence six Months after such Admonition he shall be Excommunicated (g) Ibid. Can. 124. apud eund pag. 658. Wherefore when Riparius complained to St. Hierom that Vigilantius spread his Heresie in that Diocess where he was a Priest the Holy Father wonders that the Bishop should not restrain such fury (h) Miror sanctum Episcopum in cujus Parochia esse Presbyter dicitur acquiescere furori ejus c. Hieron ad Ripar Ep 53. T. 2. p. 152. And besides this promise our Bishops are obliged frequently to confer with Recusants and to do their utmost to reclaim them As our Canons enjoyn (i) Canon 66. of the Church of England And here I could give many instances of divers of our learned and zealous Bishops who have not only secured their own People from Heresie and Schism but converted divers Recusants of all sorts And if all our right reverend Fathers remembring this solemn promise would apply themselves to this necessary Duty with a Zeal suitable to the occasion their Dignity and Station would give great weight to their Arguments and their Example would also quicken the inferior Clergy to do their parts in the places that are under their several charges And multitudes of poor Souls bought with the most precious Blood of Christ now wandring in the dangerous and destructive Paths of Popery and Fanaticism would every were be happily reclaimed and brought over to the Church To which pious and charitable design I shall humbly and briefly offer two or three motives First That the present Toleration as to Protestant Dissenters having suspended the Bishops exercise of their Authority in this Matter there is no way left to reduce this sort of Recusants but by Arguments and Persuasion and as to Papists those always were and are the fairest ways of convincing them nor if we had power ought we to imitate that unchristian Rigour which we condemn them for using to foreign Protestants (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dict. Marciani Aug in Concil Chaled Bin. T. 2. p. 361. so contrary to the practice of the Primitive Church (l) Socrat. Hist l. 7. c. 3. pag. 733. as well as to the Spirit of the Gospel (m) Luke ix 55. Secondly Let the goodness of our Cause be considered Our Doctrines are so plainly contained in Holy Scripture our Offices and Rites so proper Pious and Primitive and have been so clearly justified against all opposers by many eminent Writers of this Church That if we can but win its deluded Adversaries to hear us Reason or Read our Books there is little doubt of success and their Priests and Teachers know this which makes them hinder them as much as in them lies from hearing or reading what we say or write Lastly Let the vigilance and strangely busie zeal of Seducers be duly considered who like their ancestors the Pharisees compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte and ply those they find doubting wavering or discontented night and day by Discourses Books and fair Promises and shall not we take as much pains to save Mens Souls as they do to destroy them to propagate Gods Holy and Eternal Truth as they to disseminate their pernicious Errors I shall add no more because I hope a word is sufficient to our worthy Bishops who generally use their utmost endeavours in this kind And merit praise rather than need Exhortation §. 4. Qu. VI. Will you maintain and set forward as much as shall lie in you quietness love and peace among all Men c. There is no more expected from a Priest but only to promote Peace and Charity and that is also the Duty of a Bishop as the former part of this Question shews but since the Canons of our own and the ancient Church as well as the Laws of this Land have put the Ecclesiastical Discipline into none but the Bishops hands who also have by God's word a just right to Administer the same Therefore it is required that they shall further promise To correct and punish the unquiet disobedient and criminous according to that Authority which they have both by God's Word and the Ordinance of this Realm I need not repeat that which I have proved in a peculiar tract viz. The Bishops having this Authority vested in them both by Scripture and the Laws Ecclesiastical and Civil (n) See my Discourse of Excommunication printed at London 1685. But I shall rather briefly shew here the manifold benefits that will arise from their due Execution of this power as to regulating the manners of those within the Church who only can be a scandal or an honour to it There are many faults among these for the purest Principles and Holyest Rules will not always secure the innocence of such as profess to believe and follow them But if the Rulers of the Church upon the discovery of them zealously and prudently labour to punish the offence and reform the Offender they not only save the honour of the Church but probably the Soul of the Criminal also which should be the great end of Church censures being a Power that is given for Edification and not for Destruction as the Apostle declares (o) See ch 8. §. 2. 2 Corinth xiii 10. Now since Bishops cannot amend the Evils they do not know Therefore the ancient Canons require That they shall personally visit their whole Diocess once every year (p) Unusquisque Episcopus Parochiam suam omni anno semel circumeat Concil Calcuth Can. 3. An. 857. Spelm. T. 1. p. 193. and the present usage is for them to do this annually by their Arch-Deacons and once in three years by themselves
to gain the Profits of them as a Right to their Crown which he saith threatned Ruine to the Gallican Church because Bishops had the sole power to constitute Successors to supply the Ministrations proper to the lower Orders (f) Summis Sacerdotibus morte truncatis nec ullis deinceps Episcopis in defunctorum Officia suffectis per quos utique minorum Ordinum Ministeria subrogabantur ruinam imminere Ecclesiis Sidon l. 7. ep 6. Since therefore they have this sole Privilege doubtless it is very necessary strictly to require a Promise from them at their Consecration that they will faithfully perform this great trust of Ordaining and sending out fit Persons to execute the Priestly and Episcopal Offices For if they promote any that are Heterodox or Schismatical in their Opinions Weak and Unripe in their Judgments or Vicious and Debauched in their Lives either by negligence in due examining them before or which is worse by fear or favour be imposed upon it is the greatest Sin they can possibly commit and they are answerable for all the ill effects of admitting such Persons into so Holy an Employment The Roman Writers record of their famous Pope Leo the Great that for forty days together he fasted and prayed for Pardon of all his Transgressions and that at last St. Peter appeared to him and told him all should be forgiven him but the Sins of his Ordinations (g) Dimissa sunt tibi omnia peccata tua praeterquam impositionis manuum Pratum Spir. c. 149. ap Bin. not in Vit. S. Leonis And there is thus much moral in the Story that if a Bishop be of never so holy a Life and hath few Sins of his own by this means as St. Paul speaks he becomes partaker of other mens Sins (h) 1 Tim. v. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theop. in lo. because he is the occasion of all the ill consequences of putting an ill man into Sacred Orders And therefore many pious Bishops have opposed the Commands and Menaces of Princes and those of the highest Quality who have urged them to Ordain such as were evil and unfit and have therein shewed a commendable Zeal for God's Glory and the Good of the Church In the ignorant and wretched Ages before our Reformation this neglect had brought the Clergy into extream contempt which I chuse to express in the words of an honest Romish Author then living who says of the Bishops of his time They thrust men into Holy Orders that are like a company of Jack-daws Infamous Boys and Illiterate such as are not fit for any thing else and are not called by God contrary to the Rules of our Forefathers yet if any suffer a repulse he flies to Rome where the most holy Fathers admit Hostlers Cooks and Ideots to the Altars of the Great God yea such as in Germany would not be allowed to communicate among the Laity to the shame and grief of all good Men till they have made the Name of Priest to be a reproach surely they must have evil thoughts of Religion and themselves or design to abuse Christian People who do such things the Work shews the Artificer the Tree is known by its Fruit may Christ save us St. Peter is asleep and the other Simon not to say Antichrist hath got the Dominion (i) Aventini Annal. l. 2. p. 118. qui scripsit circ An. 1500. Thus alas it was then and no doubt it hastned the Reformation and since that in our Church though some few do creep in that prove very unworthy by fair Certificates gained by favour yet generally our Bishops and their Arch-Deacons are very careful to keep out ignorant and scandalous Men for which they deserve the highest applause and the general good Character of most of the Clergy shews that all due caution was taken in their Admission §. 6. Quest VIII Will you shew your self gentle and be merciful for Christ's sake to the poor and needy People and to all Strangers c. As Bishops succeeded the Apostles in all the ordinary parts of their Office so they did in the Primitive Times in their being Supream Treasurers of all the Oblations of the Faithful and by their Order they were distributed to the Poor and Needy of all sorts as I have shewed at large elsewhere (k) Act. iv 35. See the Divine Right of Tithes Par. I. c. 4. p. 60. Par. II. c. 15. p. 117. In those Ages therefore the care of the indigent lay almost wholly upon them So that the Ancient Author of the Apostolical Constitutions tells us they were to be addressed to at their admission in this Form O ye Bishops be careful to maintain all the Poor so as none may want Give to Orphans of the Gifts of their Parents to Widows those of their Husbands make Marriages for such as are grown up get Work for the Artificer shew Mercy to the Weak provide Meat for the Hungry Drink for the Thirsty Cloaths for the Naked Medicines for the Sick and Relief for the Prisoners (l) Constit Apostol l. 4. c. 2. fol. 60. In after times the case was altered in some measure since the building of Parochial Churches in all parts of the Diocesses to which the Bishops granted or confirmed all the Profits and Oblations formerly payed and presented at the Cathedral arising within those Precincts enjoyning the Parish Priest to take care of his own Poor And since that our Secular Laws have provided for the residence and relief of the Poor in every Parish yet still there are very many and great Objects of Charity especially in great Cities Decayed and Aged Labourers and Tradesmen Orphans and Widows Sick and Lame Blind and Maimed many undone by Fire and Water Thieves and Robbers many poor Strangers and Travellers and many confined to loathsom Prisons To which the Bishop is hereby obliged to be courteous and bountiful for Christ Jesus sake who takes that which is given them as lent to himself and will reward such Charity with a Crown of Glory (m) Prov. xix 17. Matth. xxv 34 35. His compassion interests him so far in their wants that he seems to beg in them and will be pleased by our giving them relief (n) Egestuosus pro se tantum in se eget Solus Christus est qui in omnium pauperuw universitate mendicat Salv. de gub l. 4. Now if all desire to hear those comfortable words of our Lord saith St. Hierom come ye blessed of my Father c. for I was Hungry and ye gave me meat c. how much more should a a Bishop his Steward desire to hear them whose House should be ready to receive all the necessitous (o) Matt. xxv 35 c. Cujus domus commune debet esse omnium hospitium Hieron in Tit. 1.8 'T is certain the Apostle's Rule That a Bishop must be given to Hospitality (p) 1 Tim. iii. 2. Titus i. 8. doth oblige in all Ages and
both his Clergy and People (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. in Trull can 19. Bev. Tom. 1. p. 177. where one of the Scholiasts observes this Canon was obeyed by the Patriarchs of Constantinople to the time of the Emperor Alexius Comnenus An. 1110 (k) Vid. Annot. ibid. T. 11. pag. 131. In the Roman Church the Bishops had neglected this part of their Office most shamefully long before the Reformation But since that in our Church the pious Prelates have been very frequent Preachers and innumerable of their excellent Sermons in Print demonstrate they were as eminent for as frequent in their Preaching I have seen a Register which Arch-bishop Mathews who is commended by Mr. Camden for his eloquent and constant Preaching kept wherein he noted almost every Sunday what Church he preached in and what Text he preached on and sometimes with what hopes of success It must be confessed to the honour of this Church that there are now in so many places Priests that are learned and able Preachers far beyond what the last Century afforded that Bishops preaching is not now so necessary as it was then yet doubtless they are highly to be commended who do often Preach both in their Cathedrals and also in the adjacent Country Cures where small allowances will neither support nor qualifie a Preaching Minister there their Labours will certainly be very acceptable and highly beneficial and where-ever they Preach 't is certain they will have numerous and attentive Auditories and may reprove rebuke and exhort with more Authority and probably with better success than a private Minister can do Wherefore we ought to pray that our Bishops may frequently and freely preach the Gospel though they have no peculiar Church under their special charge nor Superior to enjoyn them it is more pious and more honourable for them to Preach because 't is a free-will-offering and their whole Diocess is in some sence their Cure §. 2. Secondly We pray they may have Grace to minister the Discipline of the Church wisely and profitably expressing it in the words of St. Paul by using their Authority not to destruction but to salvation (l) 2 Cor. xiii 10. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not to hurt but to help Which intimates the difference between Secular and Ecclesiastical Power The Temporal Magistrate is also the Minister of God but he bears a Sword not only to be a terror to evil Doers but to make them suffer evil who have done it and to cut off and execute notorious Offenders But God's Spiritual Minister is only armed with a Pastoral Staff and a Rod (m) Psal xxiii 4. 2 Corinth iv 21. neither of which are designed to kill but to reform such as go astray his Authority is that of a Father who may correct a disobedient Child but not destroy him yea the very end of his Correction must be to save the Offender A Bishop hath a Power given him by God to warn the Unruly and if that take no place to suspend and excommunicate them yea to oblige them to give some publick Testimonies of their Repentance before he do restore such but this still aims at saving the Man and destroying nothing but the Vice For so soon as God touches the obstinate Sinners heart with a sense of his Sin and Guilt which this dreadful Anathema binds upon him our Spiritual Fathers are ready to absolve receive and embrace these their Prodigal Sons after the example of their Great Master yea either by Personal application or where that cannot be by the Parochial Priest our Bishops are to take care that Sinners remaining under this heavy Sentence which will certainly prejudice them at God's Tribunal may not die in their obstinacy and impenitence so that they try all methods to help and profit them by this godly Discipline But if all prove finally ineffectual as to the single Offender the keeping out one so infected from the Community of Christians is not only for the honour but also for the security of the whole Flock and that is one main end of Church censures not for revenge but to support the honour of Christ's Laws to admonish others to amend and warn all not to despise this salutary Authority as Lactantius notes (n) Surgimus ad vindictam non quia laesi sumus sed ut disciplina servetur mores corrigantur licentia comprimatur Lactant. de ira Dei p. 809. And this merciful Petition clears our Church from that which we do so justly condemn in the Roman where as was noted They make their Bishops swear to persecute Hereticks whom they ought rather gently to convert and set up Ecclesiastical Tribunals of Inquisition to cause men to be cruelly put to death for Opinions differing from theirs by which a good Author tells us that even within the narrow limits of the Low Countries in the compass of Fifty Years they executed above 100000 poor Christians meerly on the account of Religion (o) Camerar Op. Hor. Subseciv Tom. 3. c. 2. p. 8. Besides innumerable Cruelties of the same kind that are registred in bloody Characters in all the Countries of Europe where they have power This is using their Authority to hurt and to destruction with a witness but oh how contrary is it to the Spirit of the Gospel the Example of the Apostles and the Opinion and Practice of the Primitive Church When Athanasius was falsly accused but of killing one man the Catholicks detest the slander and say Our Church uses no slaughter nor bonds our Bishops never sent an Executioner or a Gaoler to any man (p) Caedes vincula aliena sunt à nostra Ecclesia c. Vid. Synod Epist ap Bin. T. 1. p. 402. And for their poor excuse that the Clergy only turn them over to the Secular Power That was the very crime of Ithacius and his Party of Bishops who instead of converting the Priscillian hereticks by Evil Counsel applied to the Secular Judges that by their Sentence and their Executions these Hereticks might be driven away from the Cities and when he got them condemned to die it was looked upon but as a piece of Craft to retire from the Judicature because he knew the wicked design was sure to take effect (q) Parum sanis Consiliis seculares Judices adeunt ut eorum decretis executionibus Haeritici urbibus pellerentur Ithacius subtrahit se cognitioni frustra callido jam scelere perfecto Sulp. Sever. Sacr. Hist l. 2. p. 422 430. And 't is certain that not only St. Martin was highly offended at these bloody proceedings (r) Idem Dialog §. 15. p. 565. but a whole Synod of Orthodox Bishops in Council assembled condemned the Fact and excommunicated all these Sanguinary Bishops (s) Concil Trevir An. 386. Bin. T. 1. p. 563. But Rome is now so different from the Ancient Church that they call that Zeal and make it Meritorious which the Saints they adore and
the old Catholicks whose Title they usurp condemned a Impious and Detestable Lastly Though there are many Motives to make these Petitions there are only two expressed in this Collect but both are very cogent First The benefit of the People who have such a Bishop set over them as frequently Preaches and wisely Dispenses the Discipline intrusted to him he is an inestimable blessing to his Diocess his Clergy and Laity both are happy in so industrious prudent and faithful a Steward who gives all their Portion in due season and thereby promotes and secures the Salvation of many But 2ly This is not all for his Gracious Lord and Master Jesus Christ the Judge of all hath promised an Everlasting Kingdom of Joy to reward such Servants for all their Care and Pains (t) St. Matth. xxiv 45. So that earnestly desiring the Bishops Eternal Happiness we do earnestly pray he may have Grace to manage thus and methinks the very mention of it should enflame the pious Candidate with holy desires and firm resolutions to be diligent and faithful in the discharge of these Duties since 't is certain he shall be infinitely overpaid for all his trouble by the never-ceasing Joys of Heaven where no Stars shall shine so bright (u) Dan. xii 3. none so highly shall be rewarded (w) Matth. x. 41. as Prophets Righteous Guides of Souls and such as are the Happy Instruments of Turning many to God CHAP. IX Of the Solemn Words §. 1. REceive the Holy Ghost for the Office and Work of a Bishop c. and remember that thou stir up the Grace of God c. The Order of Priesthood is so near the Episcopal that the Words at the Admission to both are very much alike only because their Duty differs in some Points therefore the one hath the Spirit communicated for the Office and Work of a Presbyter the other for the Office and Work of a Bishop and since the power of Binding and loosing was given to the Candidate when he was ordained Priest that is not repeated now since every Bishop must pass through that Order first But instead of that Form here is added that reasonable admonition of St. Paul to Timothy To stir up the Grace of God that is now given them by the Imposition of Hands to which the reason of the Charge is annexed viz. because God hath not given us the Spirit of Fear but of Power and Love and Soberness The Consecrated Bishop ought firmly to believe he doth now receive the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit so far as is necessary for his Office as we have proved before (x) Disc on the Ordin of a Priest Ch. viii §. 2. and we see here St. Paul takes it for granted that Imposition of Hands did convey it to Timothy for he hath said God gave him the Spirit and his Grace by this Rite and his Successors in the Dignity have the same need and the same method is used now But least this Privilege should make them proud and negligent they are first put in mind that the gifts of the Spirit are like the Celestial Fire in the Jewish Temple which came from Heaven yet was to be kept alive by human industry and continual puting on of fresh fuel (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophil in 2 Tim. 1.6 7. Even these Gifts and Graces will be extinguished if those that have received them do not continually endeavour to quicken them by daily and devout Prayer diligent and constant Reading and Study and by being ever imployed in all sorts of good Works God doth not give them his Spirit to exempt them wholly from working but to engage them to co-operate with him and therefore it is St. Paul's Argument for our working out our own Salvation with fear and trembling because God worketh in us both to will and to do (z) Philip. ii 12 13. Yea he calls the omitting to do our parts receiving the Grace of God in vain (a) 2 Corinth vi 1. and our Saviour shews that Servant was condemned who only kept his Talent safe but did not improve it (b) St. Math. xxv 24 c. Such being like idle Saylors who lie in the Port but neither fit up their Vessel spread their Sails nor use their Oars when a fair Wind blows (c) Isidor Peleusiot lib. 2. Ep. 2. p. 126. Wherefore First they must beware of sloth and presumption and be perpetually stirring up the Gifts they have received But 2ly Least they should on the other hand doubt and despair of ever being able to surmount the difficulties of this weighty Employment they are told what kind of Spirit it is which they have received First Negatively not the Spirit of fear or of Bondage (d) Rom. viii 15. the dastardly Spirit of Slaves who serve their Lords for dread of Stripes and tremble at a like danger from other Hands No they have received a nobler Spirit and like Free-men go on courageously and serve from a principle of love and gratitude Hence 2ly Affirmatively they are told their Spirit is first the Spirit of Power which is mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds and the casting down every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledge of God (e) 2 Cor. x. 4 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt loca arte munita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae natura muniuntur Vid. Veget. de re milit l. 4. c. 1. Filesac select lib. 1. cap. 7. A zealous Bishop endued with this Spirit of Power may boldly attack all the artificial fortresses of Argument wherein cunning Hereticks enskonce their false Opinions and shall pull down all the lofty brags whereby obstinate Sinners hope to secure their evil practices God will enable him to convince the former and convert the latter bringing the one by a right Faith and the other by a holy Life into subjection to Jesus Christ his Courage ought to be undaunted because his assistant is Almighty Secondly He hath received the Spirit of Love and Charity which will inspire him with a tender pity for the Souls of the Erroneous and debauched He considers their woeful delusion their encreasing guilt and imminent danger of Damnation and therefore he pursues them with Intreaties Arguments and Importunity as St. John did his relapsed young Man (f) Vid. Histor apud Euseb lib. 2. cap. 17. p. 68. not ceasing till if possible he hath brought them to a better mind Thirdly It is the Spirit of Sobriety and Prudence (g) 2 Tim. i. 7. Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to distinguish it from the wild and giddy Spirit of Enthusiasts who have Heat without Light and Zeal without Knowledge (h) Rom. x. 2. The Spirit of God endues our Bishops with Wisdom to choose the fittest seasons properest Methods and the most seasonable ways of Application and enables him steddily to go on till at last by God's Blessing he hath gained his Point There are but
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
Bishops Clergy-men and Religion and Eadmerus owns that all things Divine and Humane expected William the Conquerors Order (o) Cuncta ergo divina simul humana ejus nutum expectabant Eadmer Histor I shall say nothing now of the Right of Kings and Emperors prefiding in all great Councils of old because I have treated of that in a peculiar Tract (p) See the Roman Forgeries Vol. 1 2. and shewed there also that they confirmed both the Decrees of Faith and Canons made there by consent of the Clergy Nor will I enlarge this Discourse by proving that the right of investing and confirming Bishops in their Sees was anciently in Christian Kings and Princes and owned to belong to them in the fourth General Council of Chalcedon (q) Vid. Acta Concil Chalced. Act. 2. Bin. T. 2. Par. 1. p. 404. 'T is more direct to my purpose to cite those other ancient Councils which speak of the Oath of Allegiance taken by the Clergy especially those of the Higher Order to their several Kings and Princes at their admission to their places or upon the change of the Supream Governor and first of those in Spain (r) Concil Tolet. 4. Can. 74. An. 633. Concil 5. ibid. Can. 7. An. 636. Concil 6. ibid. Can. 18. An. 638. One of which Councils hath these words If any Church-man from a Bishop to the lowest Order of Clerks or Monks be found with wicked intentions to have violated the general Oaths they took for the safety of the King their Country and the Nation he shall immediately be deprived of his Dignity and be excluded from his Place and his Honour (s) Concil Tolet. 10. Can. 2. circ An. 658. Bin. T. 2. p. 519. And there are variety of testimonies that the French Clergy did always swear Allegiance to their Princes The Bishops in their Councils had declared it as a matter of right (t) Concil Turon 3. Can. 1. Aquisgran 2. Can. 2 12. and so also in their private Epistles (u) Hincmar opera T. 2. ep 4. c. 15. Yea there are the very Forms extant among divers ancient Instruments shewing what the King promised the Bishop and he swore to the King (w) Vide Theod. poenitent p. 476 477. And for the practice it is recorded that Bishops Abbots Arch-deacons and Canons did swear Allegiance over again who had been in a Conspiracy against Charles the Great (x) Capit. Pipin An. 973. Tom. 1. p. 540. And that Pope Leo the 3d took an Oath of Fidelity to the same Prince upon his Creation (y) Epist Carol. M. ad Leon. ibid. T. 1. p. 271. Moreover when he was made Emperor he made a Law That every Man in his Realms who had sworn fealty to him as King should swear it to him again as Emperor and this was to be done by the Clergy as well as the Laity (z) Capit. Car. M. An. 801. c. 2. Tom. 1. p. 363. We have also a Record containing the Privileges granted to a Bishop of Anjou when he took the Oath of Allegiance as other Bishops of France use to do to Lewis King of that Nation (a) Fecimus Sacramentum fidelitatis sicut alit Episcopi regni Franciae ipsi faciunit Theod. poenitent p. 476. together with an inspeximus to confirm it (b) Ibid. p. 477. And the practice of swearing Fealty by our Bishops in this Nation is so ancient that its first original can scarce be found yet so well known withall that it needs no particular Proof therefore I proceed 2ly To give the Reasons why it should be given to the Clergy 1st Because the holy Scripture declares they are subjected to Kings and Princes as well as Lay-men St. Chrysostom notes that St. Paul says Every Soul though he be a Priest or an Apostle he must be subject to the higher Powers (c) Rom. xiii 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. è Chrys in loc And St. Bernard tells a great Bishop if Every Soul must be subject then yours he that attempts to except you out of that universal Command endeavours to deceive you (d) Si omnia anima etiam vestra quis vos excepit c Bern. ad Henr. Senon Episc Ep. 42. Now if the Clergy be subject and the Prince supream over them why should they not recognize this Supremacy and vow that Allegiance which is consequent thereupon when their Superior requires it of them 2ly Their qualifications condition and interest also as well as their numbers are generally such that it is of great importance to a King to be secured of their Fidelity yea it is necessary to the safety of his Government for being Teachers of the People they may either establish them in their Loyalty or excite them to dangerous Seditions and Rebellions of which the Annals of Popish Kingdoms whose Clergy of old took no Oath to their Prince but one to the Pope afford many woful examples And 't is noted by Josephus that the Pharisees a bold and busie Sect among the Jews were often troublesom to their Kings and dared to oppose them openly for there were 6000 of them and they all refused to swear Allegiance to Herod and Caesar as the whole Nation besides had done (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joseph Ant. l. 13. c. 22. To which I may add the relation of Simeon of Durham concerning Aldwin and Turgot two Monks of that Church wherein I have the honour to be preferred who raised Sedition in Scotland against King Malcom and pretended they could not in Conscience swear Allegiance to him (f) Sim. Dunelm Chron. l. 3. c. 22. 3ly The Clergy of all Christian Kingdoms are and have been endowed with Tithes Lands and Houses and invested with very great Immunities Honours and Privileges chiefly by Kings and Princes who have been the Founders or Confirmers of most of our eminent Churches and therefore are Patrons of the same So that they are bound in gratitude to give their Benefactors all possible assurance of their Fidelity and they would be the worst of men if they do not as sincerely pay it as they universally and justly promise it They as all other Subjects are protected in their Persons Estates and good Names by the Laws of their Prince and this Protection always obliges the Persons so protected to bear Faith and Allegiance to him that protects them but their Provision being also chiefly from the Crown they owe more duty to it than many others of their Fellow-Subjects But 3ly There was a particular Reason for requiring this Oath from the English Clergy of all Orders at the Reformation because divers of them especially the Regulars had not sworn Allegiance to the King but had taken Oaths to their Superiors and to the Pope to obey them and promote their Interest in all things which left them at liberty upon any Quarrel between our King and the Bishop of Rome or his Dependants to take part with their Ecclesiastical
against their Civil Superiors So that when there was an irreconcilable difference between Rome and our King and he had by Law cast out the Pope's usurped Power he was obliged for his own safety to restore the ancient custom and make a Law that all the Clergy should swear Allegiance to him as being under Christ Supream Head on Earth or as we now without a Metaphor call it Supream Governor (g) Vide Stat. An. 23. Hev 8. And this Oath was brought into the Ordination Office in the first Book of King Edward the 6th (h) Sparrow's Collect. pag. 145. and in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign the taking it was enjoyned under the severest Penalties (i) Stat. 1 Eliz. 1. 5. 1. And no doubt there was good reason and great cause for this for the Pope by his Interest in the Clergy had long oppressed this Nation and taken away much of the King 's just Prerogative as our Nobles and Parliaments in Popish times had often complained (k) Vid. Gravamina Eccles Anglicanae ap Fascic rerum expetend T. 2. p. 416. Vid. item Histor Tho. Wals An. 1312. p. 74. and they made divers good Laws to retrench these encroachments (l) Stat. Provis 25. Ed. 3. Stat. Ric. 2. cap. 5. but all in vain for the Pope proceeded in the exercise of his Tyranny and the Clergy receiving divers yea contrary commands from different Masters the King and the Roman Bishop could not possibly serve them both as our Saviour notes and they generally stuck to their Spiritual and despised their Temporal Lord (m) Matth. vi 24. Nemo potest quamvis uno Domino obtemperare repugnantia jubenti Aug. de verb. Dom. Ser. 2. p. 2. So that it was absolutely necessary utterly to expel the Pope's Authority from hence because as one of our Kings soon after the Conquest publickly declared No Man could keep his Allegiance to him and pay Obedience to the Apostolick See against his Will (n) Nequaquam fidem quam sibi debebat simul Apostolicae sedis obedientiam contra suam voluntatem posse servare Gul. 2. Anselmo ap Eadmer l. 1. p. 26. And this seemed so necessary at first to many who in other things were zealous in the Romish Faith that they took it and Gardiner writ an excellent Book in defence of this Oath and the Supremacy therein asserted as well as the Allegiance there promised o (p) Gardin de vera obed in Fascicul rer exp T. 2. p. 800. and the Pope's prohibiting it only produced stricter Injunctions to oblige the taking it and greater penalties on the refusers especially because our Governors observed (p) Vid. praefat Laur. Humph. ad Hist Jesuitismi that the Opinion of the Pope's Supremacy put him upon Excommunicating and Deposing our Kings and excited his Creatures in these Realms to lay many execrable Plots to destroy the Queen and change the Religion and Government also And 't is the restless endeavours of the bigotted Papist to restore the Papal Power that has since brought in another stricter Oath and doth make it necessary to continue these Precautions even in our times I shall not enter into this Dispute which has been already handled by so many learned Pens but refer the Reader to some of them who elaborately and unanswerably confute the Pope's and assert the King's Supremacy (q) Regis Jacobi Apolog. pro juram Relig. Christian subjection par 2. Lond. 1586. Mason de minister Anglic. l. 3. c. 4 5. and particularly shall recommend a posthumous work of Dr. Is Barrow upon this Subject (r) Dr. Barrow of the Pope's Supremacy Lon. 1680. which unfinished though it be is abundantly sufficient to satisfie any impartial Enquirer and had it received the advantage of the Author 's own last hand it would have been the most perfect Tract on any point of Controversy now extant so that I wish some Pen that were suitable to his would fill up the vacant references and enlarge upon the pertinent hints of that Book which would make it next to a Demonstration of the Question he undertook to prove §. 10. Of the Questions in general That all possible care may be taken to make or find those who enter into Holy Orders Worthy Our Church hath here rightly placed these Questions not deferring and confining them to the consecration of a Bishop as the Roman Ordinal doth (s) Pontific Roman p. 61. because the greatest security to Religion is the careful guarding the first entrance into its Ministrations (t) Cujusque rei potissima pars principium est Digest l. 1. Tit. 2. praef and therefore we put these interrogatories to Deacons and Priests for he that would breed good Officers must choose good Soldiers and he that is faithful in a lesser will be so in a greater trust (u) Luke xvi 10. 'T is a calling that Men can never forsake and so ought not to be rashly undertaken (w) Luke ix 62. Et Conc. Chalced. can 7. Item Annot. Bev. T. 2. p. 114. So that though these Questions be now first proposed to the Candidates yet it is absolutely necessary they should have Read them over seriously before in Private and duly weighed them all before they presume to answer them in the Presence of God and of his Holy Angels (x) Tenetur vox tua in libro viventium praesentibus Angelis locutus es Ambros de initiand c. 2. p. 343. as well as of the Bishop his representative if they answer falsly or rashly before so great an Assembly and just before they are to receive the Holy Sacrament it is an inexcusable as well as a presumptuous Sin and Solomon hath told us we cannot come off by saying it was an Error (y) Eccles v. 2 3 4 5 c. neither God nor the Angels who attend these Holy Ministries will so excuse us The wise Heathens advise us not to answer any Questions suddenly (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aeschin ap Plutar. de audit p. 39. The Scripture makes it the character of a Fool to answer a matter before he heareth that is understands and considers it (a) Prov. xviii 13. and it is an evidence of a most notorious Hypocrite to promise easily for gaining his ends b (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in Matth. 20. But if either of these be the case in a matter of so high importance it is unpardonable For what says a late Author is more unworthy What is worthy of greater Punishment than to profess they know that which they are Ignorant of to say they will do that which they do not intend and can do that which they cannot any ways perform (c) Soccolovij Epithalamion Episcopi cum suâ sponsâ Eccles p. 39. Wherefore I must beseech all that are to take Orders to set apart some days before their Ordination by Fasting and Prayer to examin themselves concerning every Question that they may answer truly to
Hincmar ep 35. and to Reverence them (e) Debitum Metropolitano honorem reddere Hieron ad Pammach ep 61. The like Oath Deans and Archdeacons take to the Bishops and the inferior Priests and Deacons are required to promise to their Ordination Obedience not only to their Bishop but to other chief Ministers who are set over them and have the care of them that is Deans in Cathedrals and Arch-deacons as to the rural Clergy which is necessary to preserve Peace and prevent Disorder The Superior must give Orders and Inferiors obey them otherwise all things would soon run into Confusion and we may gather that God is the Original of this Subjection in all Churches of the Saints because he is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace (f) 1 Cor. xiv 33. It may be noted also that the Candidates promise gladly to obey That is readily and willingly without Murmuring or too nice Disputing unless the thing enjoyned be notoriously Evil for to be very scrupulous proceeds from the Pride of Inferiors and tends to overthrow the Superiors Authority (g) Si ubi jubeatur quaerere singulis liceat pereunte obsequio etiam Imperium intercidit Tacit. Hist l. 1. p. 178. And the Law decrees in favour of the inferior if he were commanded and obeyed in a dubious Case (h) In re dubiâ servum nil deliquisse qui Domino jubenti obtemperavit Ulp. ex Cels L. 1. de nox act because in things only doubtful 't is safer to obey than dispute Yet this doth not give Superiors any unlimited power to command any thing that is evil for they only promise to obey their Godly admonitions (i) Subdito magistratibus principibus potestatibus sed intra limites disciplinae Tertul. Apol. So that such as Govern in the Church must take heed they do not enjoyn any thing but that which is either good in it self or apparently tends to promote Piety and Vertue and is not evil For the Oath of Canonical Obedience also hath this limitation that they shall be obeyed in omnibus licitis honestis In all yet only in Lawful and Honest things 'T is many Ages since some had put divers uncertain and ensnaring Additions to this ancient and plain Oath whereupon a Council almost 900 years ago took that way of Swearing quite away their words are It is said that some of our Brethren the Bishops compel those they are about to Ordain to swear they are Worthy and will do nothing against the Canons and that they will be obedient to the Bishop who Ordains them and to the Church wherein they are Ordained which Oath because it is dangerous we do all agree shall be utterly forbid (k) Concil Cabilon An. 813. can 13. Bin. T. 3. par 1. §. 2. p. 193. But how long this good Canon prevailed is uncertain for I find many worse Forms of Oaths used in the Gallican Church in after Ages (l) Vid. Theodor. poenit Tom. 2. p. 471. 473. item p. 483. 486 c. from all the dubious and unlawful parts of which the Reformation hath delivered us and blessed be God our Oaths of Canonical Obedience are short and simple and our Superiors expect no other Obedience from us than the Canons require which are all Lawful and Honest things So that this Duty we may safely and in all reason ought to pay to them especially having promised it in the presence of God And if we fall into any irregularities for which these our Governors according to their Duty to God reprove us this promise obliges us humbly to submit to such their Godly Admonitions (m) 2 Tim. iv 2. Titus ii 15. and to amend for the future what they blame us for To which we have this encouragement that by being trained up to give due obedience to those over us we shall learn to Govern others (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solon apud Stobaeum if it shall please God to advance us afterwards to places of Dignity in the Church so Joshua was made fit for Ruling the people of Israel by having first been Moses his Servant Now though this belong to Priests also yet it particularly respects the Deacons who are not only to obey the Bishops but also to remember their order is below that of Presbyters (o) Maneant Diaconi in proprio ordine scientes quod Episcoporum ministri sunt Presbyteris autem inferiores existunt Concil Carthag 6. e. Concil Nicaen can 18. Vid. Bev. T. 1. p. 80. and therefore they must also reverence the Priests take their advice (p) Ut Diaconus ita se Presbyteri ut Episcopi ministrum noverit Concil 4 Carthag can 37. Diaconi noverint Presbyteris omni humilitate deferendum Concil Andeg. can 3. Vid. Arelat 1. can 18. Tolet. 4. can 38. Concil in Trul. can 7. and obey their directions because they have more Age and are of more Experience in Ecclesiastical Matters than they It seems of old many Deacons had through self-conceit been apt to behave themselves with arrogance and disrespect toward the Presbyters for remedy whereof the Ancient Church took great care to determine and enjoyn also their subordination and subjection to Presbyters and would not allow them to sit down in presence of a Priest till he desired them so to do (q) Quod non oportet Diaconum coram Presbytero sedere nisi jussu ejus Concil 4. Carth. can 39. Laod. can 20. Agath can 6. è Nicaen can 18. and when any of them were presumptuous against this Superior Order the Fathers have severely reprimanded them (r) Hieron ad Euagr. Ep. 85. Auth. Quaest Ver. Nov. Testam Cyril de ador in Spir. lib. 13. To conclude both Priests and Deacons are hereby bound conscientiously to observe those excellent Rules of discipline called the Canons of the Church of England grounded on Scripture and the decrees of ancient Councils and tending to secure our Faith direct our Worship and regulate our Manners being the best Rules for discipline that are any where to be found So that our Candidates should diligently read them over labour to understand them and resolve to practise them as far as they are concerned Which would be an excellent means to restore our Church to its Pristine beauty and repair those breaches that Schism and Libertinism have made in our Constitutions by the grievous neglect of our Holy Discipline And since the Church hath so many Enemies without let it be the care of all who are promoted in it to behave themselves dutifully to their Superiors to keep Unity and Peace among themselves and zealously to perform all their known duty so shall God bless this Church and the Gates of Hell will never be able to prevail against it CHAP. IV. Of the Ordination it self §. 1. OF the Imposition of Hands Having passed all these Preliminaries with care and caution the Bishop proceeds to confer the Order it self for which he hath prepared his