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
wherefore our wise Reformers rejected all such Legendary Stuff and restored the Primitive Usage that is commanded that nothing should be read in the Church but the Canonical Scripture except some few practical parts of the Apocrypha (w) See the Preface to our Common-Prayer Concerning the Service of the Church Besides since the reading the Bible in publick is intended for the edification of the People they took care to translate it into the English Tongue accounting it very absurd to lock up that sense which all men should understand in an unknown Tongue The first reason of turning the Scriptures into Latin was that the Romans whose Mother-tongue that was then might understand them but to keep them in Latin now when no Nation in the World naturally speaks that Language is to act contrary to the design of the first Author of that Version yea of the Holy Penmen themselves who writ in Tongues then commonly understood and required their writings should be read to the People in the Church in a Language known to them (x) Coloss iv 16. and forbad those who had the gift of Tongues to use that gift in any Religious Assembly without an interpreter (y) 1 Cor. xiv 3 4 5 ver 14 15 16. From whence it was that as soon as any Nation of a new Speech was converted to be Christian the Scriptures were soon after Translated into their Language as I could prove by many instances (z) Hoc affirmat de Gothis Isidor Chron. edit per Grotium p. 711. De Saxonibus Alured ep ap Spelm. T. 1. p. 380. not Wheeloci in Bed Hist l. 2. c. 18. p. 153. De Abassinis Ludof Hist Aethiop l. 3. c. 4. Nor do any sort of Christians want this Privilege but the miserable People under the Roman Yoke And doubtless it is inhumane Cruelty to hide this Lamp which God lighted up to direct their Feet and illuminate their Paths (a) Psal cxix 105. under a Bushel (b) Luk. viii 16. this is to leave them in the dark (c) Psal xix 7 8. to rob them of that word which being heard with meekness is able to save their Souls (d) James 1. ver 21. To deprive them of that which is every way profitable for them as St. Paul affirms (e) 1 Tim. iii. 16 17. 1st For Doctrine that is to teach and confirm that which is True 2ly For Reproof that is to discover and confute Errors and Heresies 3ly For Correction that is to reform the lives of evil Men. 4ly For Instruction in Righteousness that is to make the lives of good Men better So that it is sufficient to make men perfect and throughly furnished to every good work Being therefore so very profitable and universally beneficial we strictly charge our Ministers to read it diligently to their People and that this Office may be effectual unto all the purposes aforesaid they must be admonished to prepare their hearts to hear it as the Will and Words of the God of Heaven clearing their minds from all vain and wicked thoughts (f) Eam reverentiam scriptis tuis debeo ut sumere illa nisi vacuo animo irreligiosum putem Plin. lib. 9. ep 35. p. 372. keeping silence all the while the Minister is reading to which they were commanded in the Primitive Church (g) Facto tandem silentio Scripturarum sunt lecta divina solennia Aug. de Civ Dei 22. c. 8. and listning to these Sacred Portions of the Holy Text with great attention because otherwise they cannot learn by the Instructions nor be wrought upon by the Exhortations and Reproofs comforted by the Promises nor warned by the Threatnings and thus alas the Ministers reading and their hearing will be in vain but of this I have spoken more at large before (h) See Comp. to the Temple Par. 1. Sect. 9. p. 89. and shall only add that we ought not to value Sermons that are meerly human composures above the hearing Scripture read as many weak people do who refuse to come to Church to hear the divinely inspired works of the Prophets and Apostles on such days as there are no Sermons which argues a great contempt of God's Word and is a manifest neglect of a most profitable Ordinance instituted by Christ and his Apostles and which might very much promote our Salvation if we duly attended thereto Quest V. It appertaineth to the Office of a Deacon in the Church where he shall be appointed to serve to assist the Priest in Divine Service Will you do this c. This comprehensive Question doth briefly but fully set out all the other Duties peculiar to the Office of a Deacon First with intent to instruct the Candidate in all parts of that weighty Charge he undertakes and then to require his solemn Promise that he will perform them by God's help It is not fit he should take a place in God's House till he know what are the Duties thereof nor can he wisely or honestly engage to do all these particulars till he know them Wherefore the Bishop lays them plainly before him that he may not afterward pretend to excuse himself by Ignorance there is a like Form in the Aethiopic Ordination of a Deacon (i) Vid. Morin de Ordinat Copthitar p. 507. and a Rubrick in the Syrian Formulary directing the Bishop to instruct a Priest in his Duty Yet both are after the Orders are given (k) Idem de Ordinat Maronitar p. 410. but ours is placed more properly to shew him that is to enter on this Office that it is rather a Burthen than an Honour (l) Clericatum non honorem intelligens sed onus Hieron de Nepot ep 3. T. 1. p. and to give him opportunity distinctly to consider the manifold Obligations now to be laid upon him and we will explain them severally in hopes that such as are concerned will take some time before they come for Orders seriously to Read over the particulars and examin themselves whether they are willing to undertake so great a Charge and conscientiously resolve to execute it Now these Duties are First Such as are to be done within the Church Secondly Those that are to be done at large in the Parish where he is fixed First We may observe in general that as in a well ordered Army every Officer and Common Soldier hath his peculiar Post So in an established Church every Priest and Deacon hath his particular Cure and Charge for not only our own Canons but those of the ancient Church expresly forbid the Ordaining of any Clergy Man without a Title to some Cathedral or Parochial Church wherein he is to celebrate Divine Offices (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Chalced. can 6. Bev. T. 1. p. 118. vid. Syn. S. Patricij can 3. Spelm. T. 1. p. 53. Excerp Egb. can 51. ibid. p. 263. Et can 33. Eccles Angl. for experience taught Bishops that unfixed Clerks could not be governed nor
Servants to account for all things under their charge and make them answer or suffer for all that is lost by their default So these Spiritual Stewards may be well assured that their Heavenly and All-seeing Lord the Judge of all Men will certainly reckon with them for all that he hath entrusted them with So that if the Church in general or any Member of it in particular be damnified by their Folly Fraud or Negligence as the Sin is great to be false or negligent in such a Trust so the punishment shall be very great also He hath often declared that their Souls shall be condemned and suffer for all those poor Souls that perish and are lost by their wilful neglect It was usual of old for a General to deliver a choice Prisoner to a Soldier who was to keep him at the peril of his life which was forfeited if his Prisoner escap'd (o) 1 Kings xx 39. Act. xii 19. and God delivers up his own whom he hath rescued from Sathan to the custody of his Ministers with the same caution having declared under the Metaphor of a Watch-man that if any perish for want of due warning he will require their Blood at the Watch-mans hand (p) Ezek. iii. 18. chap. xxxiii 8. that is he who wilfully loses anothers Soul must satisfie God's justice by the loss of his own Which is so terrible yet withal so seasonable a consideration That in the old Gallican forms of Ordination one part of a Prayer is That he may tremble for all the people committed to his care remembring that all their Souls are to be required at the Watchmans hand (q) Orat. in Ordina◠Episc Lit. Gall. ap Mabillon p. 309. Plutarch relates That Epaminondas killed a Centinel with his own hand whom he found asleep because he had hazarded the loss of his whole Army and even at this day the discipline of Camps condemns those that are set on the Watch if an Enemy approach on that side and they give no warning But if Ministers do warn their people of the danger of Heresie or Schism and of such Vices as they perceive they are most likely to be drawn into and they disregard or despise the notice and will go on to Ruin then they are Felones de se they are guilty of their own Destruction the Priest is clear of blame and shall not suffer for their faults (r) Ez. xxxiii 3 4. Nec populus debet sacerdotis culpae deputare sed suae cum sacerdos nec orando proficit nec loquendo Agobard de jur priv sacerd p. 126. So that this account of his undertaking need not discourage him from the Office but only should make him resolve to be diligent in it because nothing can hurt him but his own neglect And thus the Bishop goes on to apply it charging them never to cease their Labour but with their utmost care and diligence to do all that in them lies according to their Duty to bring all they have under their charge to such unity in the Faith and such perfection in their knowledge of God and to that measure of the Stature of Christ that there may neither Error nor Vice be found among them Which exhortation is grounded on that account which St. Paul gives of himself and the discharge of his Ministry in Asia How that he for three years space had not ceased night nor day to warn every one with tears (s) Acts xx 31. 'T is a charge like that which the same Apostle gave to Timothy when he had ordained him saying with more than ordinary zeal I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ before whose Tribunal thou must give an account to Preach the word to be instant in season and out of season that is in publick and in private to reprove rebuke and exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine (t) 2 Tim. iv 1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophil Ita D. Paul Act. 20. v 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dreadful place saith St. Chrysostom for those who Preach not at all (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. Chrys in loc and I may add for such as never speak to their people but from the Pulpit for Ministers ought not only to instruct exhort and reprove in general but to apply themselves also in private to the Ignorant and Erroneous to such as are negligent in good and bold in evil works for those instructions exhortations and reproofs are taken most kindly and are most likely to operate because they are so peculiarly suted to that particular Mans case In a word let every one who enters upon this Office consider the end of his Ministry as St. Paul describes it in the Epistle before (w) Ephes iv 12 13. See the Explic. chap. 1. §. 1. viz. To convince all the Erroneous convert all the Vicious and inform all the Ignorant till they have made them all perfect in Knowledge and Virtue through Christ Jesus Wherefore this is the mark he must aim at this is the work he must continually carry on if he would both save himself and those that hear him (x) 1 Tim. iv 16. Aliorum salutem fac lucrum animae tuae Hieron Ep. 13. Vide Philip. 1.19 'T is true it requires much Learning and Judgment and more Pains and Watchfulness to do this well but since it will in all probability tend to the Salvation of many of them and certainly end in the saving his own Soul every Minister should chearfully set about this noble design firmly resolve to carry it on and patiently endure all the difficulties thereof and to excite him thereto the Bishop proposes two motives to engage the Candidate to apply himself with the greatest care and study to the rightly discharging this excellent and difficult Office (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. lib. 2. c. 3. The first with respect to God that is out of Duty and Gratitude to him who hath placed them in so high a Dignity in his Family As they have many Privileges above others so they have also greater Obligations the trust which God reposes in them and the honour he confers upon them binds them to more than ordinary diligence and it is required in Stewards that a Man be found faithful (z) 1 Cor. iv 1 2. Such Officers are accountable not only for their own but their fellow-servants faults if their negligence or connivance occasion them and therefore their personal innocence is no security (a) Quid proderit non puniri suo qui puniendus est alieno peccato Prosper de Vit. Contem pl. l. 1. c. 20. with respect to their account with God And 2ly The same care is to be taken with respect to Men the Laity have but a single point to manage viz. to take care they do not offend God themselves whereas a Minister must not only avoid that which is evil in it self but also fly from the
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
of the Poor and Needy yea and takes what is done for these as done to his own self (n) Matth. x. 42. xxv 35. Christus est qui in omnium suorum Pauperum universitate mendicat Salv. de Gub. l. 4. Perhaps it will be said that this part of the Deacons Office is now superseded by those many good Laws that have been made for relief of the Poor since the Reformation To which I reply That in some places those Laws are badly executed and even where they are the provisions of Law are very scanty and respect only ordinary cases but many by sudden Losses and Calamities do fall to be necessitous and others by Infirmities Age and other ways become poor Now none so proper as the Priest or Deacon to be an Advocate for these none so fit to comfort them as he and it is his duty to use his best endeavours that suitable provision be made for them Now when the Bishop hath so fully and plainly laid the Deacons whole duty before them he enquires if they will cheerfully and willingly undertake all this for God desires no unwilling Servant but expects that such as voluntarily come in shall be admitted upon these and no other terms Therefore they answer They will God being their Helper Which words being spoken in the presence of God and his Delegate the Bishop and before a great Congregation are a solemn promise which will always bind the Souls of those that make it therefore they must never forget this Vow but apply their utmost endeavour to perform it in every point praying daily for God's help which they here declare is necessary in order to the due execution of this weighty Charge Quest VI. Will you apply all your diligence to frame and fashion your own lives and the lives of your Families according to the Doctrine of Christ c. After the Duties especially relating to their Office and the Publick the Bishop proceeds to demand security of them concerning their personal Duties and private Conversation requiring a promise from each of them that they will order their own Lives and as much as in them lies the lives of their Families according to the Rules of the Gospel and that so exactly that he and they may not only be innocent but exemplary to other Christians of which we shall next treat First As to themselves it is absolutely necessary that they both live holily and set others a Pattern for St. Peter expresly requires that the Pastors be examples to the flock (o) 1 Pet. v. 3. and the Forms used by Protestants generally ask this Question of all Candidates (p) Vultisne pie honeste vivere aliis esse bono exemplo Resp Volumus Form Lutheran Lips 1624. Vide Qu. 3. Eccles Belg. Lit. p. 261. and Scotch Psalter Ordin p. 21. It is the chief end of their Ministry to make others live according to the Gospel Rules and therefore they must be very careful they do not break them the Priests and Levites in Nehemiah's time first purified themselves and then the people (q) Nehem. xii 30. for they that are unclean cannot cleanse others The Fathers observe that Doing is set before teaching because it is more necessary and useful (r) Act. i. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ita Matth. v. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Gen. Hom. 10. p. 49. Preaching then only saith St. Cyprian is profitable when our Deeds are answerable to our Words (s) Cypr. Libr. de zel livor A Good Life without Preaching saith another is better than Preaching without a Good Life For that silently profits this makes a noise but confounds (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid Peleus ep 271. Hence St. Paul advises Timothy first to take heed to himself and then to his Doctrine and so he might both save his own Soul and his Hearers also (u) 1 Tim. iv ult It was Origen's Character and was the cause that his Preaching did so much good viz. His Words and his Manners did exactly agree (w) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christiani de Origine Euseb lib. 6. c. 3. p. 151. 'T is an easie thing to discourse finely a quick Wit and a voluble Tongue qualifies a man for that but 't is difficult to live a strict and holy Life and therefore men value this most z and they also gain most by it (x) Homines malunt exempla quam verba quia loqui facile est praestare difficile Lanct instit l. 4. §. 23. for it helps them that are infirm to see a good example and makes that easier to do which another hath done before them (y) Salv. de Gubern l. 3. This makes the Preachers words effectual in mens hearts for while his Lips teach what should be done his Life directs them how to perform it (z) Illa vox libentius auditorum corda penetrat quam dicentis vita commendat qui dum quod oportet loquendo imperat ostendendo adjuvat ut fiat Greg. Pastor l. 2. c. 3. And as Pliny well observes Examples have this peculiar advantage that they convince men the Person who exhorts them approves of the Precepts he gives (a) Plin. Panegyr ad Traj p. 81. It was as Lactantius remarks a great reason why the Philosophers did so little good by their excellent discourses of Morality because many of them were vicious in their Lives they took off the weight from their Precepts by teaching only and not doing for who will keep Rules when those who prescribe them teach men to break them (b) Qui docent tantum non faciunt ipsi praeceptis suis detrahunt pondus quis enim obtemperet cum ipsi praeceptores docent non obtemperare Lact. Inst l. 3. §. 16. And God knows an evil life will have the same effect now if any of our Clergy be scandalous their Sins are much more heinous and mischievous than those of the Laity as their Knowledge is greater it is expected their Works should be better (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid Peleus l. 2. ep 121. p. 176. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Julian Aug. frag p. 529. and they make Religion odious and contemptible while they help evil Men to Excuses and teach them to make an Apology for their Crimes from the Priests own practice (d) Non confundant opera tua Sermonem tuum ne cum in Ecclesia loqueris tacitus quilibet respondent Cur ergo quae dicis ipse non facis Hier. ep 2. ad Nepot p. 15. yea they make it impossible for them with any modesty to reprove Sinners for while they censure others for that which they commit they manifestly condemn themselves their Impudence is intolerable and their Rebukes in vain (e) Quomodo feras alieni ultorem proprii criminis defensorem se magis ipse condemnat qui in alio damnat quod ipse committit Ambros ep 76. to which St. Paul adds that they which
him careful in his managing of Sinners and bring a great and deserved veneration upon all his Solemn Acts of Ecclesiastical Discipline as well as incredible benefit to his Peoples Souls §. 3. 2ly The other part of these Solemn Words are a strict charge to him that is Ordained to be a Faithful Dispenser of God's Holy Word and Sacraments I have shewed before they are Stewards of these Mysteries (l) See §. 3. supr that is in the French idiom Dispensers And hence St. Paul calls his Preaching and other Ministerial Acts a Dispensation committed to him (m) 1 Cor. ix 17. Ephes iii. 2. Coloss i. 25. ubi Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now as to the Word of God the faithful dispensing of it is to give every Soul its proper Portion so our Pastor must offer easie Truths plain Similitudes and Examples to inform the Ignorant to prepare higher Notions and stricter Rules for the Stronger and more knowing he must have ready Promises to comfort mourning Penitents Threatnings to warn bold Sinners Counsel to settle the doubtful Minds Exhortation to quicken negligent Loyterers and Reproofs to check forward Offenders All these are in God's Word and every one of these kinds are proper Food at some times for the Souls that are under his Charge his Prudence must allot every one their Portion according to their temper and necessity and he must act faithfully as well as wisely he must be impartial and fear no Man for his greatness nor despise any for his proverty he must not spare a Friend for Favour no nor expose an Enemy out of Evil Will because their Souls are at stake and there is a Curse upon those who do this work of the Lord deceitfully (n) Jer. xlviii 10. But this relates chiefly to the Pastors private applications besides which it is their duty to Preach once at least in Publick on Sundays and Holy-days by the ancient and modern Canons also (o) See xlv Can. Eccl. Angl. Ut omnibus Festis diebus Dominicis unusquisque Sacerdos Evangelium Christi praedicet Populo Egb. Can. 3. Spelm. T. 1. p. 259. id Can. 52. Edgar p. 454. Can. 23. Aelfric ibid. p. 578. Capit. Carol. M. l. 1. c. 166. and this Office they must be Faithful in as far as a Publick Place will allow They must conceal no necessary nor publish any unnecessary Truths they must reprove in general the most prevailing Vices of their People and exhort them especially to such Duties as they are most negligent in and if they know as he ought the state of their Peoples Souls they may so contrive this general Discourse that like a well-drawn Picture it shall seem to look directly at every one in the company so that every one may easily know and apply his own portion to himself The same fidelity must be shewed also in dispensing both Sacraments by taking care that Infants do not by their neglect die unbaptized nor forget their Vow after they have been baptized by preparing their people for receiving the Communion worthily frequently dispensing it publickly to those in Health and privately to the Sick encouraging such as are fit for it to come often and warning all notorious Sinners especially those in malice to repent before they presume to come to this Holy Table And they that thus behave themselves in God's House (o) Matth. xxv 21. Euge bone serve c. shall from their great Master hear that joyful Eulogy well done ye good and faithful Servants enter ye into the Joy of your Lord. Having spoken of the delivery of the Gospel to a Deacon before (p) Dis on Ord. of a Deacon chap. 4. §. 4. I am only to add that the difference is the Priest hath the whole Bible delivered to him with words containing a Solemn Grant of full Power and Authority to Preach out of it and Administer the Sacraments according to it in the Congregation whereto he shall be appointed And whereas of old both in the African and Western Churches as well as the Eastern this rite was only used at the Consecration of a Bishop in later times it was used to a Priest who as Isidore observes has also the Dispensation of the Divine Mysteries committed to him and he is collegue to the Bishop in presiding over the Church in consecrating the Sacrament and Preaching to the people (q) Presbyteris sicut Episcopis dispensatio mysteriorum Dei committitur praesunt enim Ecclesiis Christi in confectione divina corporis Sanguinis Consortes sunt cum Episcopis in officio praedicandi Isid Hispal de offic c. 7. but with this difference the Priest acts subordinately and is confined ordinarily to one Parish but a Bishop is the Supreme in Ecclesiastical matters through his whole Diocess There are more Ceremonies and solemn words in some other Churches especially the Roman where of late they deliver a Patin with Wafers and a Chalice with Wine and Water (r) Accipe potestatem offerre sacrificium Deo missamque celebrare tam pro vivis quam pro defunctis Morin de Lat. ord p. 319. giving them power to offer a Sacrifice to God and celebrate Mass for the Quick and Dead But we may observe Morinus could not find this Form in any Ritual above 700 years old So likewise the blessing the several vestments and forms of delivering them the anointing the Priests hands in the Latin Church (s) Vid. Pontif. Roma◠p. 47 49. The kiss given to the newly ordained Presbyter by the Bishop and all the Priests present in the Greek Church (t) Euchol p. 294. notis p. 298. are justly laid aside by our Reformers as being either innovations or too trifling for so grave an Office as this CHAP. IX The last Collect. §. 1. THere is nothing remaining of a material difference between the former Office and this but one proper concluding Collect which seems peculiar to our Church and how suteable it is for the occasion the ensuing Analysis and Discourse will shew The Analysis of the last Collect. This Collect containeth two kinds of Petitions 1. For the Ministers 1st In general for God's Blessing Most merciful Father we beseech thee to send c. 2ly In particular that they may be 1st Holy in their lives That they may be cloathed with Righteousness c 2ly Successful in all their Labours And that thy word spoken by their Mouths may have such success c. 2ly For the People 1. That they may Reverently hear the Word of God Grant also that we may have Grace to hear c. 2ly That in all other Acts they may aim at 1. God's Honour That in all our words and Deeds we may seek c. 2. The inlarging of his Kingdom And the increase of thy kingdom through c. Amen A Discourse upon this Collect. §. 2. Most merciful Father we beseech thee to send upon these thy Servants thy Heavenly Blessing c. The ancient Forms