if all the Clergy may then all the People may and you may as well poison the Sea as poison all the Springs and it is more likely all the Ideots and the ordinary persons in the world should be couzened out of their Religion than that all the wise men and Antistites the Teachers Doctors and publick Ministers of Religion should And when all men turn Mariners or Apothecaries or that all men will live single lives and turn Monks and so endanger the species of mankind to perish for there is a great fear of that too that is when all the world chuse one thing for if two men do two thousand may do it if they will and so may all upon this ground then also we may fear that all the Governours of the Church may fail because some do and more have and all may till then there will be no need of an extraordinary Commission but the Church shall go on upon the stock of the first calling and designation which was extraordinary The Spirit issued out at first miraculously and hath continued running still in the first channels by ordinary conduct and in the same conveyances it must run still or it cannot without a miracle derive upon us who stand at infinite distance from the fountain Since then there is now no more expectation of an extraordinary calling and to do so were an extraordinary vanity it remains that the derivation of the ministerial power be by an ordinary conveyance The Spirit of God in Scripture hath drawn a line and chalked out the path that himself meant to tread in giving the graces of Evangelical ministrations At first after that Christ had named twelve one whereof was lost they not having an express command for the manner of Ordination took such course as Reason and Religion taught them They named two persons and prayed God to chuse one and to manifest it by Lot which was a way less than the first designation of the other eleven and yet had more of the extraordinary in it than could be reasonably continued in an ordinary succession The Apostles themselves had not as yet received skill enough how to officiate in their ordinary ministery because the Holy Ghost was not as yet descended But when the Holy Ghost descended then the work was to begin the Apostles wanted no power necessary for the main work of the Gospel but now also they received Commissions to dispense the Spirit to all such purposes to which He was intended They before had the office in themselves but it was not communicable to others till the Spirit the Anointing from above ran over the Fringes of the Priest's garments they had it but in imperfection and unactive faculties so saith Theophylact He breathed not now giving to them the perfect gift of the Holy Ghost for that he intended to give at Pentecost but he prepared them for the fuller reception of it They had the gift before but not the perfect consummation of it that was reserved for the great day and because the power of Consecration is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or perfection of Priestly order it was the proper emanation of this days glory then was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perfection of what power Christ had formerly consigned For of all faculties that is not perfect which produces perfect and excellent actions in a direct line actions of a particular sort but that which produces the actions and enables others to do so too for then the perfection is inherent not only formally but virtually and eminently and that 's the crown of habits and natural faculties Now besides the reasonableness of the thing this is also verified by a certainty that will not easily fail us by Experience and ex post facto For as we do not find the Apostles had before Pentecost a productive power which made them call for a Miracle or a special providence by Lots so we are sure that immediately after Pentecost they had it for they speedily began to put it in execution and it is remarkable that the Apostles did not lay hands upon Matthias he being made Apostle before the descent of the Holy Ghost they had no power to do it they were not yet made Ministers of the Spirit which because afterwards presently they did concludes fairly that at Pentecost they were amongst other graces made the ordinary Ministers of Ordination This I say is certain that the Holy Ghost descending at Pentecost they instantly did officiate in their ministerial offices they preached they baptized they confirmed and gave the holy Spirit of obsignation and took persons into the Lot of their Ministery doing of it by an external rite and solemn invocation and now the extraordinary way did cease God was the fountain of the power but man conveyed it by an external rite and of this Saint Paul who was the only exception from the common way takes notice calling himself an Apostle not of man nor by man but by Iesus Christ implying that he had a special honour done to be chosen an Apostle in an extraordinary way therefore others might be Apostles and yet not so as he was for else his expression had been all one as if one should say Titus the son of a man not begotten of an Angel or Spirit nor produced by the Sun or Stars but begotten by a Man of a Woman the discourse had been ridiculous for no man is born otherwise and yet also he had something of the ordinary too for in an extraordinary manner he was sent to be ordained in an ordinary Ministery And yet because the ordinary Ministery was setled S. Paul was called to an account for so much of it as was extraordiry and was tied to do that which every man now is bound to do that shall pretend a calling extraordinary viz. to give an extraordinary proof of his extraordinary calling which when he had done in the College of Ierusalem the Apostles gave him the right hand of fellowship and approved his vocation which also shews that now the way of Ordination was fixed and declared to be by humane ministery of which I need no other proof but the instances of Ordinations recorded in Scripture and the no instances to the contrary but of S. Paul whose designation was as immediate as that of the 11. Apostles though his Ordination was not I end this with the saying of Iob the Monk Concerning the order of Priesthood it is supernatural and unspeakable He that yesterday and the day before was in the form of Ideots and private persons to day by the power of the Holy Ghost and the voice of the chief Priest and laying on of hands receives so great an improvement and alteration that he handles and can consecrate the divine mysteries of the holy Church and becomes under Christ a Mediator Ministerial between God and man and exalted to hallow himself and sanctifie others The same almost with the words of Gregory Nyssen in his book De
their Temples but also separating their condition from the impurities and the contempt of the world as knowing that they who were to converse with their Gods were to be elevated from the common condition of men and vulgar miseries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As soon as I was made a Priest of Idaean Iupiter all my garments were white and I declined to converse with mortals Novae sortis oportet illum esse qui jubente Deo canat said Seneca He had need be of a distinct and separate condition that sings to the honour and at the command of God thus it was among the Jews and Heathens SECT II. NOW if Christian Religion should do otherwise than all the world hath done either it must be because the rites of Christianity are of no mystery and secret dispensation but common actions of an ordinary address and cheap devotion or else because we undervalue all Religion that is because indeed we have nothing of it The first is dishonourable to Christianity and false as its greatest enemy The second is shame to us and both so unreasonable and unnatural that if we separate not certain persons for the ministeries of Christianity we must consess we have the worst Religion or that we are the worst of men But let us consider it upon its proper grounds When Christ had chosen to himself twelve Apostles and was drawing now to the last scene of his life he furnished them with commissions and abilities to constitute and erect a Church and to transmit such powers as were apt for its continuation and perpetuity And therefore to the Apostles in the capacity of Church-officers he made a promise That he would be with them to the end of the world they might personally be with him until the end of the world but he could not be here with them who after a short course run was to go hence and be no more seen and therefore for the verification of the promise it is necessary that since the promise was made for the benefit of the Church and to them as the ministers of the benefit so long as the benefit was to be dispensed so long they were to be succeded to and therefore assisted by the Holy Jesus according to the glorious promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not only to the Apostles but absolutely and indefinitely to all Christs disciples their successors he promised to abide for ever even to the consummation of the world to the whole succession of the Clergy so Theophylact upon this place And if we consider what were the power and graces Jesus committed to the dispensation of the Apostles such as were not temporary but lasting successive and perpetual we must also conclude the ministery to be perpetual I instance first in the power of binding and loosing remitting and retaining sins which Christ gave them together with his breathing on them the holy Spirit and a legation and a special Commission as appears in S. Iohn which power what sence soever it admits of could not expire with the persons of the Apostles unless the succeeding ages of the Church had no discipline or government no scandals to be removed no weak persons offended no corrupt members to be cut off no hereticks rejected no sins or no pardon and that were a more heresie than that of the Novatians for they only denied this ministery in some cases not in all saying Priestly absolution was not fit to be dispensed to them who in time of persecution had sacrificed to Idols 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To these only pardon is to be dispensed without the ministery of the Priest To these who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrificers and mingled the table of the Lord with the table of devils Against other sinners they were not so severe But however so long as that distinction remains of sins unto death and sins not unto death there are a certain sort of sins which are remediable and cognoscible and judicable and a power was dispensed to a distinct sort of persons to remit or retain those sins which therefore must remain with the Apostles for ever that is with their persons first and then with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with their successors because the Church needs it for ever and there was nothing in the power that by relating to the present and temporary occasion did insinuate its short life and speedy expiration In execution of this power and pursuance of this commission for which the power was given the Apostles went forth and all they upon whom this signature passed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 executed this power in appropriation and distinct ministery it was the sword of their proper ministery and S. Paul does almost exhibite his Commission and reads the words when he puts it in execution and does highly verifie the parts and the consequence of this argument God hath reconciled us to himself by Christ Iesus and hath given to us the ministery of reconciliation and it follows now then we are Embassadors for Christ. The ministery of reconciliation is an appropriate ministery It is committed to us we are Embassadors it is appropriate by vertue of Christs mission and legation He hath given to us he hath made and deputed certain Embassadors whom he hath sent upon the message and ministry of reconcilement which is a plain exposition of the words of his Commission before recorded Iohn 20. 21. And that this also descended lower we have the testimony of S. Iames who advises the sick person to send for the Elders of the Church that they may pray over him that they may anoint him that in that society there may be confession of sins by the clinick or sick person and that after these preparatives and in this ministery his sins may be forgiven him Now that this power fell into succession this instance proves for the Elders were such who had not the commission immediately from Christ but were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were fathers of the people but sons of the Apostles and therefore it is certain the power was not personal and meerly Apostolical but derived upon others by such a communication as gives evidence the power was to be succeeded in And when went it out when the anointing and miraculous healing ceased There is no reason for that For forgiveness of sins was not a thing visible and therefore could not be of the nature of miracles to confirm the faith and christianity first and after its work was done return to God that gave it neither could it be only of present use to the Church but as eternal and lasting as sin is and therefore there could be nothing in the nature of the thing to make it so much as suspicious it was presently to expire To which also I add this consideration that the Holy Ghost which was to enable the Apostles in the precise office
confer the first grace which in the Schools is understood only to be expiatorious but the increment of grace and sanctification and that also is remissive of sins which are taken off by parts as the habit decreases and we grow in God's favour as our graces multiply or grow Now that these graces being given in Ordination are immediate emanations of the holy Spirit and therefore not to be usurped or pretended to by any man upon whom the Holy Ghost in Ordination hath not descended I shall less need to prove because it is certain upon the former grounds and will be finished in the following discourses and it is in the Greek Ordination given as a Reason of the former prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For not in the imposition of my hands but in the overseeing providence of thy rich mercies grace is given to them that are worthy So that we see more goes to the fitting of a person for Ecclesiastical Ministeries than is usually supposed together with the power a grace is specially collated and that is not to be taken up and laid down and pretended to by every bolder person The thing is sacred separate solemn deliberate derivative from God and not of humane provision or authority or pretence or disposition SECT VIII THe Holy Ghost was the first Consecrator that is made evident and the persons first consecrated were the Apostles who received the several parts of the Priestly order at several times the power of consecration of the Eucharist at the institution of it the power of remitting and retaining sins in the Octaves of Easter the power of baptizing and preaching together with universal jurisdiction immediately before the Ascension when they were commanded to go into all the world preaching and baptizing This is the whole office of the Priesthood and nothing of this was given in Pentecost when the holy Spirit descended and rested upon all of them the Apostles the brethren the women for then they received those great assistances which enabled them who had been designed for Embassadors to the world to do their great work and others of a lower capacity had their proportion as the effect of the promise of the Father and a mighty verification of the truth of Christianity Now all these powers which Christ hath given to his Apostles were by some means or other to be transmitted to succeeding persons because the several Ministeries were to abide for ever All Nations were to be converted a Church to be gathered and continued the new Converts to be made Confessors and consigned with Baptism sins to be remitted flocks to be fed and guided and the Lords death declared represented exhibited and commemorated until his second Coming And since the powers of doing these offices are acts of free and gracious concession emanations of the holy Spirit and admissions to a vicinity with God it is not only impudence and sacriledge in the person falsly to pretend that is to bely the Holy Ghost and thrust into these Offices but there is an impossibility in the thing it is null in the very deed doing to handle these mysteries without some appointment by God unless he calls and points out the person either by an extraordinary or by an ordinary Vocation Of these I must give a particular account The extraordinary calling was first that is the immediate for the first beginning of a lasting necessity is extraordinary and made ordinary in succession and by continuation of a fixed and determined Ministery The first of every order hath another manner of constitution than all the whole succession The rising of the spring is of greater wonder and of more extraordinary and latent reason than the descent of the current and the derivation of the powers of the Holy Ghost that make the Priestly order are just like the Creation the first man was made with God's own hands and all the rest by God co-operating with a humane act and there is never the same necessity as at first for God to create man The species or kind shall never fail but be preserved in an ordinary way And so it is in the designation of the Ministers of Evangelical Priesthood God breathed into the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the breath of the life-giving spirit and that breath was to be continued in a perpetual univocal production they who had received they were also to give and they only could Grace cannot be conveyed to any man but either by the fountain or by the channel by the Author or by the Minister God only is the fountain and Author and he that makes himself the Minister whom God appointed not does in effect make himself the Author for he undertakes to dispose of grace which he hath not received to give God's goods upon his own authority which he that offers at without God's warrant does it only upon his own And so either he is the Author or an Usurper either the fountain or a dry cloud which in effect calls him either blasphemous or sacrilegious But the first and immediate derivation from the fountain that only I affirm to be miraculous and extraordinary as all beginnings of essences and graces of necessity must those persons who receive the first issues they only are extraordinarily called all that succeed are called or designed by an ordinary vocation because whatsoever is in the succession is but an ordinary necessity to which God hath proportioned an ordinary Ministery and when it may be supplied by the common provisions to look for an extraordinary calling is as if a man should expect some new man to be created as Adam was it is to suppose God will multiply beings and operations without necessity God called at first and if he had not called man could not have come to him in this nearness of a holy Ministery he sent persons abroad and if he had not sent they could not have gone but after that he had appointed by his own designation persons who should be Fathers in Christ he called no more but left them to call others He first immediately gives the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grace and leaves this as a Depositum to the Church faithfully to be kept till Christ's second coming and this Depositum is the doctrine and discipline of Jesus he opens the door and then left it open commanding all to come in that way into the Ministery and tuition of the flock calling all that came in by windows and posterns and oblique ways thieves and robbers And it is observable that the word vocation or calling in Scripture when it is referred to a designation of persons to the Ministery it always signifies that which we term calling extraordinary it always signifies an immediate act of God which also ceased when the great necessity expired that is when the fountain had streamed forth abundantly and made a current to descend without interruption The purpose of this discourse is that now no man should in these days of ordinary Ministery
Apostolical as it was an office extraordinary circumstantionate definite and to expire all that was promised should descend upon them after Christs ascension and was verified in Pentecost for to that purpose to bring all things to their mind all of Christs Doctrine and all that was necessary of his life and miracles and a power from above to enable them to speak boldly and learnedly and with tongues all that besides the other parts of ordinary power was given them ten days after the Ascension And therefore the breathing the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles in the octaves of the Resurrection and this mission with such a power was their ordinary mission a sending them as ordinary Pastors and Curates of Souls with a power to govern binding and loosing can mean no less and they were the words of the promise with a power to minister reconciliation for so Saint Paul expounds remitting and retaining which two were the great hinges of the Gospel the one to invite and collect a Church the other to govern it the one to dispense the greatest blessing in the world the other to keep them in capacities of enjoying it For since the holy Ghost was now actually given to these purposes here expressed and yet in order to all their extraordinaries and temporary needs was promised to descend after this there is no collection from hence more reasonable than to conclude all this to be part of their commission of ordinary Apostleship to which the ministers of religion were in all Ages to succeed In attestation of all which who please may see the united testimony of S. Cyril S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose S. Gregory and the Author of the questions of the old and new Testament who unless by their calling shall rather be called persons interess'd than by reason of their famous piety and integrity shall be accepted as competent are a very credible and fair representment of this truth and that it was a doctrine of Christianity that Christ gave this power to the Apostles for themselves and their successors for ever and that therefore as Christ in the first donation so also some Churches in the tradition of that power used the same form of words intending the collation of the same power and separating persons for that work of that ministery I end this with the counsel S. Augustine gives to all publick penitents Veniat ad Antistites per quos illis in Ecclesia claves ministrantur à praepositis sacrorum accipiant satisfactionis suae modum let them come to the Presidents of Religion by whom the Keys are ministred and from the Governours of holy things let them receive those injunctions which shall exercise and signifie their repentance SECT III. THe second power I instance in is preaching the Gospel for which work he not only at first designed Apostles but others also were appointed for the same work for ever to all generations of the Church This Commission was signed immediately before Christ's Ascension All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world First Christ declared his own commission all power is given him into his hand he was now made King of all the Creatures and Prince of the Catholick Church and therefore as it concerned his care and providence to look to his cure and flock so he had power to make deputations accordingly Go ye therefore implying that the sending them to this purpose was an issue of his power either because the authorizing certain persons was an act of power or else because the making them Doctors of the Church and teachers of the Nations was a placing them in an eminency above their scholars and converts and so also was an emanation of that power which derived upon Christ from his Father from him descended upon the Apostles And the wiser persons of the world have always understood that a power of teaching was a Presidency and Authority for since all dominion is naturally founded in the understanding although civil government accidentally and by inevitable publick necessity relies upon other titles yet where the greatest understanding and power of teaching is there is a natural preheminence and superiority eatenus that is according to the proportion of the excellency and therefore in the instance of S. Paul we are taught the style of the Court and Disciples sit at the feet of their Masters as he did at the feet of his Tutor Gamaliel which implies duty submission and subordination and indeed it is the highest of any kind not only because it is founded upon nature but because it is a submission of the most imperious faculty we have even of that faculty which when we are removed from our Tutors is submitted to none but God for no man hath power over the understanding faculty and therefore so long as we are under Tutors and Instructors we give to them that duty in the succession of which claim none can succeed but God himself because none else can satisfie the understanding but he Now then because the Apostles were created Doctors of all the world hoc ipso they had power given them over the understandings of their disciples and they were therefore fitted with an infallible spirit and grew to be so authentick that their determination was the last address of all inquiries in questions of Christianity and although they were not absolute Lords of their faith and understandings as their Lord was yet they had under God a supreme care and presidency to order to guide to instruct and to satisfie their understandings and those whom they sent out upon the same errand according to the proportion and excellency of their spirit had also a degree of superiority and eminency and therefore they who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labourers in the word and doctrine were also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters that were Presidents and Rulers of the Church and this eminency is for ever to be retained according as the unskilfulness of the Disciple retains him in the form of Catechumens or as the excellency of the instructor still keeps the distance or else as the office of teaching being orderly and regularly assigned makes a legal political and positive authority to which all those persons are for orders sake to submit who possibly in respect of their personal abilities might be exempt from that authority Upon this ground it is that learning amongst wise persons is esteemed a title of nobility and secular eminency Ego enim quid aliud munificentiae adhibere potui ut studia ut sic dixerim in umbra educata è quibus claritudo venit said Seneca to Nero. And Aristotle and A. Gellius affirm that not only excellency of extraction or great fortunes but learning also makes noble circum undique sedentibus multis doctrinâ aut genere
of the Apostle But I suffer not a woman to teach but to be in silence And as for the men who had gifts extraordinary of the Spirit although they were permitted at first in the Corinthian Church before there was a Bishop or a fixed Colledge of Clergy to utter the inspired dictates of the Spirit yet whether they were Lay or Clergy is not there expressed and it is more agreeable to the usual dispensation that the prophets of ordinary ministery though now extraordinarily assisted should prophesie in publick but however when these extraordinaries did cease if they were common persons they had no pretence to invade the Chair nor that we find ever did for an ordinary ability to speak was never any warrant to disturb an order unless they can say the words of S. Paul Whereunto I am ordained a Preacher they might not invade the office To be able to perform an office though it may be a fair disposition to make the person capable to receive it orderly yet it does not actually invest him every wise man is not a Counsellor of State nor every good Lawyer a Judge And I doubt not but in the Jewish religion there were many persons as able to pray as their Priests who yet were wiser than to refuse the Priests advocation apud Deum and reciting offices in behalf of the people Orabit pro eo sacerdos was the order of Gods appointing though himself were a devout person and of an excellent spirit And it had need be something extraordinary that must warrant an ordinary person to rise higher than his own evenness and ability or skill is but a possibility and must be reduced to act by something that transmits authority or does establish order or distinguish persons and separate professions And it is very remarkable that when Iudas had miscarried and lost his Apostolate it was said that it was necessary for some body to be chosen to be a witness of Christs Resurrection Two were named of ability sufficient but that was not all they must chuse one to make up the number of the twelve a distinct separate person which shews that it was not only a work for that any of them might have done but an office of ordinary ministery The ability of doing which work although all they that lived with Iesus might either have had or received at Pentecost yet the authority and grace was more the first they had upon experience but this only by divine election which is a demonstration that every person that can do offices clerical is not permitted to do them and that besides the knowledge and natural or artificial abilities a divine qualification is necessary And therefore God complains by the Prophet I have not sent them and yet they run and the Apostle leaves it as an established rule How shall they preach except they be sent Which two places I shall grant to be meant concerning a distinct and a new message Prophets must not offer any doctrine to the people or pretend a doctrine for which they had not a commission from God But which way soever they be expounded they will conclude right in this particular For if they signifie an ordinary mission then there is an ordinary mission of preachers which no man must usurp unless he can prove his title certainly and clearly derivative from God which when any man of the Laity can do we must give him the right hand of fellowship and wish him good speed But if these words signifie an extraordinary case and that no message must be pretended by Prophets but what they have commission for then must not ordinary persons pretend an extraordinary mission to an ordinary purpose for besides that God does never do things unreasonable nor will endure that order be interrupted to no purpose he will never give an extraordinary Commission unless it be to a proportionable end whosoever pretends to a licence of preaching by reason of an extraordinary calling must look that he be furnished with an extraordinary message lest his Commission be ridiculous and when he comes he must be sure to shew his authority by an argument proportionable that is by such a probation without which no wise man can reasonably believe him which cannot be less than miraculous and divine In all other cases he comes under the curse of the non missi those whom God sent not they go on their own errand and must pay themselves their wages But besides that the Apostles were therefore to have an immediate mission because they were to receive new inctructions these inctructions were such as were by an ordinary and yet by a distinct ministery to be conveyed for ever after and therefore did design an ordinary successive and lasting power and authority Nay our blessed Lord went one step further in this provision even to remark the very first successors and partakers of this power to be taken into the lot of this ministery and they were the Seventy-two whom Christ had sent as probationers of their future preaching upon a short errand into the Cities of Iudah But by this assignation of more persons than those to whom he gave immediate Commission he did declare that the office of preaching was to be dispensed by a separate and peculiar sort of men distinct from the people and yet by others than those who had the commission extraordinary that is by such who were to be called to it by an ordinary vocation As Christ constituted the office and named the persons both extraordinary and ordinary present and successive so he provided gifts for them too that the whole dispensation might be his and might be apparent And therefore Christ when he ascended up on high gave gifts to men to this very purpose and these gifts coming from the same Spirit made separation of distinct ministeries under the same Lord. So S. Paul testifies expresly Now there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are different administrations differences of ministeries it is the proper word for Church-offices the ministery distinguished by the gift It is not a gift of the ministery but the ministery it self is the gift and distinguished accordingly An extraordinary Ministery needs an extraordinary and a miraculous gift that is a miraculous calling and vocation and designation by the holy Ghost but an ordinary gift cannot sublime an ordinary person to a supernatural imployment and from this discourse of the differing gifts of the Spirit Saint Paul without any further artifice concludes that the Spirit intended a distinction of Church-officers for the work of the ministery for the conclusion of the discourse is that God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers and lest all God's people should usurp these offices which God by his Spirit hath made separate and distinguished he adds Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers If so then were all the body one member quite contrary to nature
precept is but twice reported of in the new Testament though the institution of the Sacrament be four times And it is done with admirable mystery to distinguish the several interests and operations which concern several sorts of Christians in their distinct capacities S. Paul thus represents it Take eat This do in remembrance of me plainly referring this precept to all that are to eat and drink the Symbols for they also do in their manner enunciate declare or represent the Lords death till he come And Saint Paul prosecutes it with instructions particular to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that do communicate as appears in the succeeding cautions against unworthy manducation and for due preparation to its reception But S. Luke reports it plainly to another purpose and he took bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave it unto them saying This is my body which is given for you Hoc facite This do in remembrance of me This cannot but relate to accepit gratias egit fregit distribuit Hoc facite Here was no manducation expressed and therefore Hoc facite concerns the Apostles in the capacity of Ministers not as receivers but as Consecrators and givers and if the institution had been represented in one scheme without this mysterious distinction and provident separation of imployment we had been eternally in a cloud and have needed a new light to guide us but now the Spirit of God hath done it in the very first fountains of Scripture And this being the great mystery of Christianity and the only remanent Express of Christ's Sacrifice on earth it is most consonant to the Analogy of the mystery that this commemorative Sacrifice be presented by persons as separate and distinct in their ministery as the Sacrifice it self is from and above the other parts of our Religion Thus also the Church of God hath for ever understood it without any variety of sence or doubtfulness of distinguishing opinions It was the great excellency and secret mystery of the Religion to consecrate and offer the holy Symbols and Sacraments I shall transcribe a passage out of Iustin Martyr giving the account of it to Antoninus Pius in his Oration to him and it will serve in stead of many for it tells the Religion of the Christians in this mystery and gives a full account of all the Ceremony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. When the prayers are done then is brought to the President of the Brethren the Priest the Bread and the Chalice of Wine mingled with Water which being received he gives praise and glory to the Father of all things and presents them in the name of the Son and the Holy Spirit and largely gives thanks that he hath been pleased to give us these gifts and when he hath finished the prayers and thanksgiving all the people that is present with a joyful acclamation say Amen Which when it is done by the Presidents and people those which amongst us are called Deacons and Ministers distribute to every one that is present that they may partake of him in whom the thanks were presented the Eucharist Bread Wine and Water and may bear it to the absent Moreover this nourishment is by us called the Eucharist which it is lawful for none to partake but to him who believes our Doctrine true and is washed in the Laver for the remission of sins and regeneration and that lives so as Christ delivered For we do not take it as common bread and common drink but as by the Word of God Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world was made flesh and for our salvation sake had flesh and blood after the same manner also we are taught that this nourishment in which by the prayers of his word which is from him the food in which thanks are given or the consecrated food by which our flesh and blood by mutation or change are nourished is the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus For the Apostles in their Commentaries which they wrote which are called the Gospels so delivered as Jesus commanded For when he had given thanks and taken Bread he said Do this in remembrance of me This is my body And likewise taking the Chalice and having given thanks he said This is my blood and that he gave it to them alone This one Testimony I reckon as sufficient who please to see more may observe the tradition full testified and intire in Ignatius Clemens Romanus or whoever wrote the Apostolical Constitutions in his name Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Athanasius Epiphanius S. Basil S. Chrysostom almost every where S. Hierom S. Augustine and indeed we cannot look in vain into any of the old Writers The sum of whose Doctrine in this particular I shall represent in the words of the most ancient of them S. Ignatius saying that he is worse than an Infidel that offers to officiate about the holy Altar unless he be a Bishop or a Priest And certainly he could upon no pretence have challenged the Appellative of Christian who had dared either himself to invade the holy Rites within the Chancels or had denyed the power of celebrating this dreadful mystery to belong only to sacerdotal ministration For either it is said to be but common Bread and Wine and then if that were true indeed any body may minister it but then they that say so are blasphemous they count the blood of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Paul calls it in imitation of the words of institution the blood of the Covenant or New Testament a prophane or common thing they discern not the Lord's body they know not that the Bread that is broken is the communication of Christ's body But if it be a holy separate or divine and mysterious thing who can make it ministerially I mean and consecrate or sublime it from common and ordinary Bread but a consecrate separate and sublimed person It is to be done either by a natural power or by a supernatural A natural cannot hallow a thing in order to God and they only have a supernatural who have derived it from God in order to this ministration who can shew that they are taken up into the lot of that Deaconship which is the type and representment of that excellent ministery of the true Tabernacle where Jesus himself does the same thing in a higher and more excellent manner This is the great Secret of the Kingdom to which in the Primitive Church many who yet had given up their names to Christ by designation or solemnity were not admitted so much as to the participation as the Catechumeni the Audientes the Poenitentes Neophytes and Children and the ministery of it was not only reserved for sacred persons but also performed with so much mysterious secrecy that many were not permitted so much as to see This is that Rite in which the Priest intercedes for and blesses the
the first part of his sanctification is a separation of the person to the power of intercession for the people and a ministerial mediation by the ministration of such rites and solemn invocations which God hath appointed or designed And now this sanctification which is so evident in Scripture tradition and reason taken from proportion and analogy to Religion is so far from making the power of the holy man less than is supposed that it shews the greatness of it by a true representment and preserves the sacredness of it so within its own cancels that it will be the greatest sacriledge in the world to invade it for whoever will boldly enter within this vail nisi qui vocatur sicut Aaron unless he be sanctified as is the Priest who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen calls him a Minister co-operating with Christ he does without leave call himself a man of God a Mediator between God and the people under Christ he boldly thrusts himself into the participation of that glorious mediation which Christ officiates in Heaven all which things as they are great honours to the person rightly called to such vicinity and endearments with God so they depend wholly upon divine dignation of the grace and vocation of the person 2. Now for the other part of spiritual emanation or descent of graces in sanctification of the Clergy that is in order to the performance of the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's the sence of it that God who is the lover of souls may grant a pure and unblameable Priesthood and certainly they who are honoured with so great a grace as to be called to officiate in holy and useful Ministeries have need also of other graces to make them persons holy in habit and disposition as well as holy in Calling and therefore God hath sent his Spirit to furnish his Emissaries with excellencies proportionable to their need and the usefulness of the Church At the beginning of Christianity God gave gifts extraordinary as boldness of spirit fearless courage freedom of discourse excellent understanding discerning of spirits deep judgment innocence and prudence of deportment the gift of tongues these were so necessary at the institution of the Christian Church that if we had not had testimony of the matter of fact the reasonableness of the thing would prove the actual dispensation of the Spirit because God never fails in necessaries But afterward when all the extraordinary needs were served the extraordinary stock was spent and God retracted those issues into their fountains and then the graces that were necessary for the well discharging the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Priestly function were such as make the person of more benefit to the people not only by being exemplary to them but gracious and loved by God and those are spiritual graces of sanctification And therefore Ordination is a collation of holy graces of sanctification of a more excellent Faith of fervent Charity of Providence and paternal care Gifts which now descend not by way of miracle as upon the Apostles are to be acquired by humane industry by study and good letters and therefore are presupposed in the person to be ordained to which purpose the Church now examines the abilities of the man before she lays on hands and therefore the Church does not suppose that the Spirit in Ordination descends in gifts and in the infusion of habits and perfect abilities though then also it is reasonable to believe that God will assist the pious and careful endeavours of holy Priests and bless them with special aids and co-operation because a more extraordinary ability is needful for persons so designed But the proper and great aid which the Spirit of Ordination gives is such instances of assistance which make the person more holy And this is so certainly true that even when the Apostle had ordained Timothy to be Bishop of Ephesus he calls upon him to stir up the gift of God which was in him by the putting on of his hands and that gift is a Rosary of graces what graces they are he enumerates in the following words God hath not given us the spirit of Fear but of Power of Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of a modest and sober mind and these words are made part of the form of collating the Episcopal order in the Church of England Here is all that descends from the Spirit in Ordination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power that is to officiate and intercede with God in the parts of ministery and the rest are such as imply duty such as make him fit to be a Ruler in paternal and sweet government Modesty Sobriety Love And therefore in the forms of Ordination of the Greek Church which are therefore highly to be valued because they are most ancient have suffered the least change and been polluted with fewer interests the mystical prayer of Ordination names graces in order to holiness We pray thee that the grace of the ever holy Spirit may descend upon him Fill him full of all faith and love and power and sanctification by the illumination of thy holy and life-giving Spirit and the reason why these things are desir'd and given is in order to the right performing his holy offices That he may be worthy to stand without blame at thy Altar to preach the Gospel of thy Kingdom to minister the words of thy truth to bring to Thee gifts and spiritual Sacrifices to renew the people with the Laver of Regeneration And therefore S. Cyril says that Christ's saying Receive ye the Holy Ghost signifies grace given by Christ to the Apostles whereby they were sanctified that by the holy Ghost they might be absolved from their sins saith Haymo and S. Austin says that many persons that were snatched violently to be made Priests or Bishops who had in their former purposes determined to marry and live a secular life have in their Ordination received the gift of continency And therefore there was reason for the greatness of the solemnities used in all ages in separation of Priests from the world insomuch that whatsoever was used in any sort of sanctification of solemn benediction by Moses law all that was used in Consecration of the Priest who was to receive the greatest measure of sanctification Eadem item vis etiam Sacerdotem augustum honorandum facit novitate benedictionis à communitate vulgi segregatum Cum enim heri unus è plebe esset repente redditur praeceptor praeses Doctor pietatis mysteriorum latentium Praesul c. Invisibili quadam vi ac gratia invisibilem animam in melius transformatam gerens that is improved in all spiritual graces which is highly expressed by Martyrius who said to Nectarius Tu ô beate recens baptizatus purificatus mox insuper sacerdotio auctus es utraque autem haec peccatorum expiatoria esse Deus constituit which are not to be expounded as if Ordination did
himself hath learn'd humbly and chearfully to obey his Superior For every Minister should be like the good Centurion in the Gospel himself is under authority and he hath people under him Be sure in all your Words and Actions to preserve Christian simplicity and ingenuity to do to others as you would be done unto your self and never to speak what you do not think Trust to Truth rather than to your Memory for this may fail you that will never Pray much and very servently for all your Parishioners and all men that belong to you and all that belong to God but especially for the Conversion of Souls and be very zealous for nothing but for Gods glory and the salvation of the World and particularly of your Charges Ever remembring that you are by God appointed as the Ministers of Prayer and the Ministers of good things to pray for all the World and to heal all the World as far as you are able Every Minister must learn and practise Patience that by bearing all adversity meekly and humbly and chearfully and by doing all his Duty with unwearied industry with great courage constancy and Christian magnanimity he may the better assist his people in the bearing of their crosses and overcoming of their difficulties He that is holy let him be holy still and still more holy and never think he hath done his work till all be finished by perseverance and the measures of perfection in a holy Life and a holy Death but at no hand must he magnifie himself by vain separations from others or despising them that are not so holy II. Of Prudence required in Ministers REmember that Discretion is the Mistress of all Graces and Humility is the greatest of all Miracles and without this all Graces perish to a mans self and without that all Graces are useless unto others Let no Minister be governed by the opinion of his People and destroy his Duty by unreasonable compliance with their humors lest as the Bishop of Granata told the Governours of Leria and Patti like silly Animals they take burdens upon their backs at the pleasure of the multitude which they neither can retain with Prudence nor shake off with Safety Let not the Reverence of any man cause you to sin against God but in the matter of Souls being well advis'd be bold and confident but abate nothing of the honour of God or the just measures of your Duty to satisfie the importunity of any man whatsoever and God will bear you out When you teach your people any part of their duty as in paying their debts their tithes and offerings in giving due reverence and religious regards diminish nothing of admonition in these particulars and the like though they object That you speak for your selves and in your own cases For counsel is not the worse but the better if it be profitable both to him that gives and to him that takes it Only do it in simplicity and principally intend the good of their souls In taking accounts of the good Lives of your selves or others take your measures by the express words of Scripture and next to them estimate them by their proportion and compliance with the publick measures with the Laws of the Nation Ecclesiastical and Civil and by the Rules of Fame of publick Honesty and good Report and last of all by their observation of the Ordinances and exteriour parts of Religion Be not satisfied when you have done a good work unless you have also done it well and when you have then be careful that vain-glory partiality self-conceit or any other folly or indiscretion snatch it not out of your hand and cheat you of the reward Be careful so to order your self that you fall not into temptation and folly in the presence of any of your Charges and especially that you fall not into chidings and intemperate talkings and sudden and violent expressions Never be a party in clamours and scoldings lest your Calling become useless and your Person contemptible Ever remembring that if you cheaply and lightly be engag'd in such low usages with any Person that Person is likely to be lost from all possibility of receiving much good from your Ministery III. The Rules and Measures of Government to be used by Ministers in their respective Cures USe no violence to any man to bring him to your opinion but by the word of your proper Ministery by Demonstrations of the Spirit by rational Discourses by excellent Examples constrain them to come in and for other things they are to be permitted to their own liberty to the measures of the Laws and the conduct of their Governours Suffer no quarrel in your Parish and speedily suppress it when it is begun and though all wise men will abstain from interposing in other mens affairs and especially in matters of Interest which men love too well yet it is your Duty here to interpose by perswading them to friendships reconcilements moderate prosecutions of their pretences and by all means you prudently can to bring them to peace and brotherly kindness Suffer no houses of Debauchery of Drunkenness or Lust in your Parishes but implore the assistance of Authority for the suppressing of all such meeting-places and nurseries of Impiety and as for places of publick Entertainment take care that they observe the Rules of Christian Piety and the allowed measures of Laws If there be any Papists or Sectaries in your Parishes neglect not frequently to confer with them in the spirit of meekness and by the importunity of wise Discourses seeking to gain them But stir up no violences against them but leave them if they be incurable to the wise and merciful disposition of the Laws Receive not the people to doubtful Disputations and let no names of Sects or differing Religions be kept up amongst you to the disturbance of the publick Peace and private Charity and teach not the people to estimate their Piety by their distance from any Opinion but by their Faith in Christ their Obedience to God and the Laws and their Love to all Christian people even though they be deceived Think no man considerable upon the point or pretence of a tender Conscience unless he live a good life and in all things endeavour to approve himself void of offence both towards God and Man but if he be an humble Person modest and inquiring apt to learn and desirous of information if he seeks for it in all ways reasonable and pious and is obedient to Laws then take care of him use him tenderly perswade him meekly reprove him gently and deal mercifully with him till God shall reveal that also unto him in which his unavoidable trouble and his temptation lies Mark them that cause Divisions among you and avoid them for such Persons are by the Scripture called Scandals in the abstract they are Offenders and Offences too But if any man have an Opinion let him have it to himself till he can be cur'd of his disease by
the life of man And we shall then come to the innumerable company of Angels and the general Assembly of the Church of the First-born and to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediator of the New Covenant The Oracle tells Amelius enquiring what was become of Polinus's soul that he was gone to Pythagoras and Socrates and Plato and as many as had born a part in the Quire of heavenly love And I may say to every good man that he shall go to the Company of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Moses David and Samuel all the Prophets and Apostles and all the holy men of God that have been in all the Ages of the World All those brave and excellent persons that have been scattered at the greatest distance of time and place and in their several generations have been the salt of the earth to preserve mankind from utter degeneracy and corruption These shall be all gathered together and meet in one Constellation in that Firmament of Glory O Praeclarum diem cùm ad illud divinorum animorum concilium coetúmque proficiscar atque ex hac turba ac colluvione discedam O that blessed day when we shall make our escape from this medly and confused riot and shall arrive to that great Council and general Randevouz of divine and god-like Spirits But which is more than all we shall then meet our Lord Jesus Christ the Head of our Recovery whose story is now so delightful unto us as reporting nothing of him but the greatest sweetness and innocence and meekness and patience and mercy and tenderness and benignity and goodness and whatever can render any person lovely or amiable and who out of his dear love and deep compassion unto mankind gave up himself unto the death for us men and for our salvation And if Saint Augustine made it one of his Wishes to have seen Jesus Christ in the flesh how much more desirable is it to see him out of his terrestrial weeds in his robes of Glory with all his redeemed Ones about him And this I cannot but look upon as a great Advantage and priviledge of that future State for I am not apt to swallow down that Conceit of the Schools that we shall spend Eternity in gazing upon the naked Deity for certainly the happiness of man consists in having all his faculties in their due subordinations gratified with their proper objects and I cannot but believe a great part of Heaven to be the blest Society that is there Their enravishing beauty that is to say their inward life and perfection flowring forth and raying it self thorow their glorified bodies The rare discourses wherewith they entertain one another The pure and chast and spotless and yet most ardent Love wherewith they embrace each other The ecstatick Devotions wherein they joyn together and certainly every pious and devout soul will readily acknowledge with me that it must needs be matter of unspeakable pleasure to be taken into the Quire of Angels and Seraphims and the glorious Company of the Apostles and the goodly Fellowship of the Prophets and the noble Army of Martyrs and to joyn with them in singing Praises and Hallelujahs and Songs of joy and Triumph unto our great Creator and Redeemer the Father of Spirits and the Lover of Souls unto him that sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever We are sure we shall then have our capacities fill'd and all our desires answered They hunger no more neither thirst any more for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters What vast degrees of perfection and happiness the nature of man is capable of we may best understand by viewing it in the person of Christ taken into the nearest union with Divinity and made God's Vicegerent in the World and the Head and Governour of the whole Creation In this our narrow and contracted state we are apt to think too meanly of our selves and do not understand the dignity of our own Natures what we were made for and what we are capable of but as Plotinus somewhere observes We are like Children from our birth brought up in ignorance of and at a great distance from our Parents and Relations and have forgot the Nobleness of our Extraction and rank our selves and our fortunes among the lot of Beggers and mean and ordinary persons though we are the off-spring of a great Prince and were born to a Kingdom It does indeed become creatures to think modestly of themselves yet if we consider it aright it will be found very hard to set any bounds or limits to our own happiness and say Hitherto it shall arise and no further For that wherein the happiness of Man consists viz. Truth and Goodness the Communication of the Divine Nature and the Illapses of Divine Love it does not cloy or glut or satiate but every participation of them does widen and enlarge our Souls and fits us for further and further Receptions the more we have the more we are capable of the more we are fill'd the more room is made in our Spirits and thus it is still and still even till we arrive unto such degrees as we can assign no measures unto We shall then be made like unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said the Areopagite Salvation can no otherwayes be accomplish'd but by becoming God-like It does not yet appear what we shall be but when he shall appear we shall be like him sayes our Evangelist for we shall see him as he is There is no seeing God as he is but by becoming like unto him nor is there any injoying of him but by being transformed into his Image and Similitude Men usually have very strange Notions concerning God and the enjoyment of him or rather these are words to which there is no correspondent conception in their minds but if we would understand God aright we must look upon him as Infinite Wisdom Righteousness Love Goodness and whatever speaks any thing of Beauty and Persection and if we pretend to worship him it must be by loving and adoring his transcendent Excellencies and if we hope to enjoy him it must be by conformity unto him and participation of his Nature The frame and constitution of things is such that it is impossible that Man should arrive to happiness any other way And if the Soveraignty of God should dispense with our obedience the Nature of the thing would not permit us to be happy without it If we live only the Animal Life we may indeed be happy as Beasts are happy but the Happiness that belongs to a Rational and Intellectual Being can never be attain'd but in a way of holiness and conformity unto the Divine Will for such a temper and disposition of mind is necessary unto Happiness not by vertue of any arbitrarious constitution of Heaven but the eternal Laws of Righteousness and immutable respects of things