An Introduction to the Ordinal

p. 530 THE fundamental principle of the Christian Ministry is that it is derived from our Blessed Lord Himself, from whom it is perpetuated by Episcopal Ordination . In virtue of His Incarnation , our Lord, both God and man , received all power both in Heaven and earth, as primarily and plenarily the great High Priest and Apostle of our profession [Heb. iii. 1],the chief Shepherd and Bishop (1 Pet. ii. 25),and Deacon (Rom . xv. 8 ],anointed with power and the Holy Ghost [Lukeiii.22. Acts x.37,38). Being thus endowed, He gave a commission by immediate substitution to men as fellow -workers with Him to continue the work of His office in His place and Name [John xx.

21 ] after His departure, in the Church which He had bought with His own blood ; and to enable them to do so, He promised that His presence should be with them and their successors until His coming again (Matt. xxviii. 18 . 20 ). He Himself had the eternal incommunicable [&mapáßatov, Heb. vii.24] Priesthood of Melchisedec, and those who ministered under His authority were in so far His successors in it, as being taken from among men not in a family, by birth right, or according to the law of a carnal ordinance, as in the Aaronic priesthood. This new Priesthood had been foretold by Isaiah [lxvi. 21 ], by Jeremiah [xxxiii.

18 ), and Malachi [i. 11), and was to be elected from those whom the Holy Ghost had prepared for the work, by His call and gracious invitation, and merit and devotion recommended , so that in the people of God's adoption ,kings and priests, a royal priesthood, it should not be by an earthly privilege, but by the gift of divine grace that the priesthood should be constituted . The Ordinal of the Syro-Nes. torians beautifully says, " The Highest dwelt on Mount Zion, and His hand came upon Moses, and Moses laid it on Aaron, and thence it passed even unto John ; John gave it to our Lord, our Lord gave it to Apostles, and they to all the orders of the Priest hood.”

In order to show the analogy between the Aaronic and Evangelical Priesthoods, our Saviour instituted two Orders only, the Apostles (Mark iii. 14 . John iv. 1, 2 ], who answered to the twelve Patriarchs and twelve Princes of the tribes, and the seventy disciples (Luke x. 1 ], who corresponded to the seventy fathers of families and elders of the Jews, whom Moses elected to govern the people of Israel (Burscough, Ch .Gov. ch. ii. p. 30 . Bp. Andrewes, Minor Works, p. 351. Dr. Hammond , Dissert. against Blondel, c. ix. & v.]; or, as Anacletus says, the Orders of Bishops and Priests [Ep. iii. 8. 1]. An essential difference was placed between these Orders, for the Apostles were chosen to company with Christ in His tempta tions (Luke vi.

13 ; xxii. 28 ], received a distinct charge (Matt. xxviii. 19], and after His Ascension were baptized with fire and the Holy Ghost [Matt. iii. 11]. St. Chrysostom says that St. James was consecrated by our Lord Himself. The title of the Twelve was continued after the fall of Judas and the reception of other Apostles into the Sacred College [John xx. 24. 1 Cor. xv. 5 . Rev. xxi. 14 ). St.Matthias was the successor of Judas, St. Paul of St. James the Less,and St. Barnabas of St. James the Great. The Apostles were representatives of the Head over all to the Church , of which they were constituted Governors [Heb.

xiii. 17 ] with spiritual authority (1 Cor. ix. 6. 12. 19. | 1 Thess. iii. 9. John xviii. 36 . 2 Cor. x. 6 ; xiii. 2. 10. 1 Cor. | iv. 21] in His Kingdom [ 1 Cor. xv. 25 . Matt. xix. 28. John vii. 39; xi. 16. 1 Pet. i. 21 ] under Him [Matt. xxii. 10 . 2 Cor. i. 14. 2 Thess. iii. 6 ; v. 4. 12. 1 Thess. iv. 11]. This power and authority remained in their office after their decease, with externaland visible exercise, being transmitted to the chief pastors of the Church ; for the Apostolate was in substance an Episcopate (Acts i.

20 . 24, 25 ], an office of Divine institution , never abrogated by any precept of God, and not appropriated to the Apostles; being continued in order that there might be a ministration of those Sacramentswhich depended on a succession to the Apostolate for their lawful administration, agreeably to the | promise of the Redeemer attached to their commission, which was | designed in perpetuity for the supervision of His Church. This commission was to bring all nations under the discipline, and into the doctrine of the Lord Jesus, and is a right which descends to their spiritual heirs. The promise was to the office, not to the persons of the Apostles ;and the office consisted in the propaga tion , edification , and government of the Church in all ages, and so they understood it, and therefore ordained others to take part in it and continue it.

The promise of miraculous powers was restricted to their persons, andwas temporary ; but the assurance of the perpetual presence of Christ Himself in spirit and in power with the Bishops of His Church , who derive from the Apostles in uninterrupted succession ,and with priests and deacons (who are constituted by the sameauthority and devoted to His service), is limited only by the end of all things. Their extraordinary powers, and the Apostolate itself, ceased with the death of the Apostles, being, like their qualifications, special seals of their commission, and, being personal, were incom municable. But they, acting of necessity [dei nuas, Acts i. 22 ]. as in obedience to Divine direction , chose St.

Matthias out of thenumber of the Seventy Disciples to be one of their own order, and further ordained a Bishop over each newly -erected Church . In order to continue the stewardship and ministration of the Divine Mysteries and the Word of life, it was indispensable to have men holy by their office,whose exclusive privilege should be attested not by individual presumption , or natural capacity, inclination, and preparation for its discharge, but by sufficient credentials. These could only be afforded by an open external call and mission,according to theappointment of God, Who is the Author of personal ability [2 Cor. iii. 6 ], and of authority and power of delegation (Matt.

viii. 9. Luke vii. 8. John xii. 20 ; XX. 21 ], by those rulers of His Church to whom , by an inalienable | right, such power upon earth has been permitted to continue and to convey a spiritual succession. So we may observe that under the Law the Priests were required to prove their title to the sacred office by reference to their descent from the tribe of Levi, as proved by the registers of genealogy (Neh . vii.64]. These chief pastors, or bishops, inherited the powers of Ordina | tion,Government, and Church censures, the ordinary parts of the Apostolical office, the offering of spiritual sacrifice, the adminis tration of the Holy Sacraments (Matt.

xxviii. 19. Luke xxii. p. 531 19 ], the preaching of the Word [Mark xvi. 15 ], the Power of the Keys (Matt.xviii. 18. John xx. 23] ; they were to be as pillars of the Church (Gal. ii. 19), as lights in the world [Matt. v. 14 ] ; to be heard and received in Christ's stead (Matt. x. 40. Luke x. 16 ]. As the Priests under the Law exercised the ordi nary sacerdotaloffices although not called, likeAaron and his sons, in an extraordinary way, so these did not inherit the miraculous effusion, or the infallible guidance of the Holy Ghost [ 1 Tim . i. 18, 19; v.

21, 22), or an unlimited mission, as St. Paul did [ 1 Cor. xi. 23. Comp. John xiv. 26 ; xvi. 13 ]. They are called mediately through the Church by Ordination, they receive grace for grace, and are first tried , proved, and examined ; but the heavenly mysteries having been first confided to their order,they, as the agents of the Holy Spirit,acting by commission from Christ, send forth priests and deacons. He that receiveth them receiveth Christ, and he that receiveth Christ receiveth Him that sent Him (Matt. x. 40. John xiii. 20. Mark ix. 37. Luke ix. 487. Such is the doctrine of the Church of England:

“ The office and function of Priests and Ministers of the Church is appointed ofGod ” [Royal Injunc. 1559, $ xxvii .; 1547, $ xxxii.]. “ Holy Scripture openly teacheth that the order and ministry of Priests and Bishops was instituted of God, not by man's authority ” [Cranmer's Paper, 1538, art. xv.]. “ All are agreed that the Apostles received power of God to create Bishops” [ Resol. of Bishopsand Divines, 1540 ]. The twenty-sixth Article declaresthat the Clergy act “ not in their own name, but in Christ's, and do minister by His commission and authority ;" and the words of the PrayerBook are, “ AlmightyGod, who by Thy Divine Providence " [ Collect for Ember week ], " by Thy Holy Spirit ” [Collect in the Ordinal], " hast appointed divers orders of Ministers in Thy Church .”

The institution of the Ministry is from heaven, is of God, and the Holy Ghost is the Author of it.

The order of Bishops is essential to the outward being of a Church . “ Scire debes Episcopum in Ecclesiâ esse et Ecclesiam in Episcopo ; et si qui cum Episcopo non sint in Ecclesiâ non esse" [ St. Cypr., Epist. Ixvi. $ 7 ]. "Otrov av parſ d éniokotos ekei To πλήθος έστω, ώσπερ όπου αν και Χριστός Ιησούς εκεί η Καθολική ÈKKAnola [St.Ignat., Ep.ad Smyrn. § viii.]. But even before the ordination of Bishops, the Apostles then being alive, deacons were chosen as coadjutors, at first in relieving them of secular business, but subsequently with permission to preach and baptize [Acts viii. 5 . 387; and this, which was the constitution of the Church of Jerusalem , was adopted in cities ( Tit.

i. 5 ] which were too small to require the ministrations of Priests, as at Philippi [Phil. i. 1. St. Clem . ad Corinth. c. xlii.). Thus Titus and Timothy by St. Paul, Clement by St. Peter, Polycarp of Smyrna by St. John, and St. Mark of Alexandria, and Evodius of Antioch, were consecrated bishops. However, as the “ care of all the Churches ” [2 Cor. xi. 28. Acts xv. 36. 1 Cor. v. 4 ] devolved on the Apostles, and their representatives the bishops in separate and local Churches found the oversight too laborious without assistance in their sacerdotal functions, they appointed Priests, about the year 45, though reserving to the chief pastors the rights of laying on of hands, jurisdiction , government, and epis.

copal visitation. These bodiesof Priests are invariably mentioned in the pluralnumber, as by St. Peter ( 1 Pet. v. 1] and St. Paul [ 1 Thess. v. 12. Tit. i. 5 . Heb. xiii. 7. 1 Tim . v. 17 ] ; and in consequence of their local supervision of places where there was no resident Bishop they were sometimes called Bishops (Acts xx. 28. 1 Pet. v. 2. Phil. i. 1] ; they corresponded to the Seventy, being in that afterwards called technically the second order of Priesthood, Bishops occupying the first order, and then, as Theodoret says,called Apostles (in 1 Tim .ii.]. But until the second century the names were not invariably distinguished [St.

Aug., Ep. lxxxii. Theodoret in 1 Tim . c. iii. St. Chrys., Hom . 1, ad Phil. c. 1] ; thus St. John and St. Peter call themselves Priests [ 1 Pet. v. 1. 2 John 1]. St. Paul mentions Epaphroditus, withouthimself, as an Apostle [Phil. ii. 25 ), and Timothy as a Deacon [ 2 Tim . iv. 5 ]. By somemediæval and later ritualists the doctrine was held that Bishops and Priests formed one order with two degrees, and St. Jerome says that with the ancients the sameman was bishop and priest, for one is a nameof dignity, the other of age [Ep. lxxxii. ad Ocean. Comp. Theod.

iii. p. 1, p. 700 ; and Theophylact, tom . ii. p.626, A ]. But the Apostles, foreseeing that there would be a strife among the Priests who should be the greatest [St. Clem . Rom . c. xliv.], which would endanger unity, appointed chief overseers of the Churches [St. Hieron., Epist. c. 1, ad Evang.,and Comm . in Ep. ad Tit. c. 1. | St. Cypr., Ep. lv.] in provinces and principal cities. These were at first called also Angels [Phil. ii. 25. Rev. i. ii.], and had their known authority and superior place established a long timebefore their settled distinction of name and title took place. It is not improbable that the Apostolical Bishopsmay have been called Angels as ministering the New Testamentwith reference to the fact of the Law having been received by the disposition of angels (Acts vii.53.

Gal. iii. 19. Heb.ii.12], and ofour Lord being called the Angelof the presence (Isa. lxiii. 9] and of the covenant (Mal. iii. 1. Ps. lxviii. 8. Numb. xx. 16 . Exod. xxxii. 34 ; xxxiii. 2 ] ; and St. Paul says that theGalatians received him as | an angel of God (Gal. iv. 14 ]. At length the interchange of names ceased, and the three orders of Bishops, Priests, and | Deacons were determined and distinguished nominally, even as from the beginning of Church polity they had been essentially distinct in office and powers. It would be impossible within the compass of the space at our disposal to give a complete series of patristic authorities to illus trate the great fact of the Apostolicalsuccession.

A few must suffice. St. Ignatius [A.D. 107]: “ The Bishop sitting in God's place, Priests in the place of the company ofApostles,and Deacons” (ad M a g n es . c . v i . ].– S t . I r enæ us ( A .D . 2 0 2 ] : “ W e c an r e c k o n u p t h e l i st o f B i s h o p s or d a in e d in t h e C hu r c h e s b y th e Ap o s t l e s u p t o our time" [Hær.

1. iï . c. iii. $ 1, 2 ]. - St. Clement of Alexandria [A.D . 218] : “ The Ecclesiastical honours of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons are, I trow, the resemblance of angelic glory " [Strom . 1. vi. c. xiii.; Pæd. 1. iii. c. xii.].- Tertullian ( A.D . 220 ] : “ The High Priest, i. e. the Bishop, has the right of giving baptism , then Priests and Deacons, but not without his authority ” [de Bapt. c. xvii.] '. Our adorable Lord was Himself externally commissioned for His Ministry by the visible descent of the Holy Ghost upon Him , and by an audible voice from heaven proclaiming Him to be the Messiah when He was about thirty years old.

“ Christ glorified not Himself to be made an high priest, but He that said unto Him , Thou art My Son , this day have I begotten Thee” (Heb. v. 3]. None of His Apostles or disciples presumed to undertake any ministry until they received a direct commission from Him [Mark ii. 14 . John iv. 2 . Luke x. 1 ]. It was the direct pro phecy ofGod Himself that Hewould take for Priests and Levites [Isa. lxvi. 21 ], and therefore, as St. Paulsays of the Evangelical Ministry, “ No man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called ofGod,as was Aaron ” (Heb. v.

4 ]. Aaron, his sons,and all the Levites (corresponding to Bishops, Priests, and Deacons), were commissioned by God [Lev. viii. 1, 2. Numb. iii. 5 ], and | death was the penalty of an invasion of their office [Numb. iii. 10 ; xviii. 17], as in the instance of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram [Numb. xvi. 39, 40] ; and Uzzah, for acting in things pertaining to God without a divine commission [2 Sam . vi. 6 , 7 ]. Saullost his kingdom for offering sacrifice (1 Sam . xiii. 12. 14 ), and Uzziah was smitten with leprosy and excommunicated for | burning incense [2 Chron . xxvi. 16 ), whilst Jeroboam 's especial sin was that he consecrated all comers to the priesthood ( 1 Kings xiii.

33, 34 ; xii. 31] ; and the heaviest censures of God are I Seealso dePræsc.Hær.c. xxxii.xli.; Scorpiace,c.ix . Similartestimonies may be found in Origen, A.D.254 (Hom .in Matt.c.xxii. Tr.xxiii.; in Hierem . Hom . xi.); St.Cyprian , A.D.258 [Ep.Ixix. $ 4 ; lxvi. $ 3; xxxi. $ 4 ); Euse bius [Eccles. Hist. 1. iii. c.iv.; iv. c. xxii.]; Optatus, A.D. 386 (de Schism . Donat. lib. i. c. xiii. xiv .) ; St. Ambrose, A.D . 397 [de Dign . Sacerd . c. iii, in Ps. cxviii.); Epiphanius, A.D.403 [Hær. 1. iii. c. lxxix.]; St. Chrysostom , A. D . 4 0 7 [ i n 1 a d T i m .

c. i ii . H o m . x l . l; S t . J e r o m e , A . D . 4 2 0 ſ ad H el i o d ., E p . v . a d v . L uc i f., a d M ar ce l l . x x vi i. , i n P s . x l iv . ) ; S t. A u g u s t in e [d e B a p t . | 1.vii. c. xliii., de Verb. Evang.Serm . cii.,deMor. Eccles.lib. i. c. xxxii.). p. 532 denounced on all usurpers of the prophetical office (Jer.

xxiii. 19. | 21. 31 ]. Such intruders, who come in their own name, are characterized by our Lord Himself as thieves and robbers [John v.43; x. 1. 8 ]. St. Paul expressly speaks of the distinctminis terial offices as of God's ordinance (1 Cor. xii. 28, 29. Rom . xii. 7. Eph. iv. 11, 12 ]. “ How shall they preach,” he asks, “ except they be sent? ” (Rom . x. 15.] So also our Blessed Lord said, “ As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I sent them ” (the Apostles) [ John xvii. 18 ]; and, “ Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you ” [ib.

xv. 16 ].

Asthere was only one Pontifical for theuse of each diocese, copies of such collectionsof Services are among the rarest of ecclesiastical books. The Pontifical of Salisbury - collated with that of Win chester, which is in the University Library at Cambridge,and of Bangor, preserved among the cathedral muniments — has been printed by Mr.Maskell in his Monumenta Ritualia ; and that of Exeter by Mr. Barnes. The Pontifical of Egbert has been pub lished by the Surtees Society, and there are other uses in the Bodleian Library, Oxford ; and,mostly imperfect,among theMSS. of the British Museum . These sources of information, collated with ancient Sacramentaries, Italian and French Pontificals, the Euchologium of the Greek Church, and the Ordinals of other Churches of that Communion , published by Martene,Morin ,and Assemanni, form the groundwork of the present illustrations of theEnglish Ordinal:

whilst theworks of Catalani, Hallier,Morin , and Muratori,and the notes of Menard, and writers contained in the volume printed by Hittorp, have been freely used. It is a remarkable fact that English writers, such as Wheatley, Sparrow, | and L'Estrange, havewholly omitted the subject; Mr. Palmer and Mr. Procter have only cursorily illustrated the Services ; Bp. Cosin made his notes, now in his Library at Durham and in the British Museum , in copies of the Book of Common Prayer which do not contain the Formsof Ordination ; and Dean Comber, like Dr. Mant and Dr. Doyly and Mr. Pinder, has done little more than offer some practical observations.

With the exception therefore of a volume on the English Ordinal by the present writer, this series of notes may be regarded as the first ritualistic illustration of this all-important portion of the Book of Common Prayer,whilst they embody the earliest complete account of its development from ancient sources. For our Ordinal was not taken word for word from the Roman Pontifical, as Archbishop Whitgift asserted, but framed on the comprehensive and broad ground of all known forms and manners of Ordination used in all branches of the Catholic Church. There was a British Church existing in the second century, and founded in the Apostolic age [Eusebius, Demonst. Evang. l.

iii. c. vii. Theodoret adv. Gent. Disp. ix. in Ps. cxvi., Interpr. Tertullian adv. Jud . c. vii. St. Clement, Ep. ad Corinth . c. v. St. Jerome, Catal. Script. Eccles. & v .]. In 314, at the Council of Arles, probably at Nicæa, 325, certainly at Sardica, 347, and Rimini, 360, British Bishops were present. In 428, St. Ger main , Bishop of Auxerre, and Lupus, Bishop of Troyes, conse crated several Bishops [Bede, Hist. Eccl. 1. i. c. xvii.], doubtless with the Gallican form , which had been derived from the Eastern Church . In 597, St. Augustine was consecrated by Ætherius, Bishop of Lyons,and Virgilius, Bishop of Arles ;

Wilfrid of York by Agilbert, Bishop of Paris,665. There were also bishops con secrated in Rome,and Italy, by Saxon, Irish,and Scotch Bishops, severalof the latter having derived their orders from Rome. For the purpose of simplifying the history of the gradual development of successive Ordinals, the contents of those used in England from the fifth century to the present timehavebeen given, as well as the earliest known forms preserved in Sacramentaries, which prove that the latter were accepted as the formularies of the Western Church . It is certain that the further we can trace back rituals, the simpler they are; for they only gradually received additions and enlargement, with fresh rubrics designed to enhance the solemnity of the ceremonial.

Possibly these were the innovations of an individual bishop, adopted by neighbouring diocesans, until | authoritatively recognized. But they were changed according to | the diversities of countries, times, and men's manners. It will be seen how much they varied. While the Church of England retained the essential form and matter, she ordained, changed, or abolished someof those ceremonies and rites of the Church which were ordained only by man 's authority, so that all things might be done to edifying, and rendered more conformable with primitive usage. The form and offices for making Deacons agree in containing a Prayer Ad ordinandum Diaconum , oremus dilectissimi, a Prayer for the Holy Spirit, Exaudi Domine,an address for united Prayer for the deacon, Ad consummandum Diaconum , Commune votum , and a Benediction , Domine Sancte Spei.

The delivery of the stole and Gospel, and other ceremonials,were of later introduc tion. Diaconus cum ordinatur, solus Episcopus qui eum benedicit manum super caput illius quia non ad sacerdotium sed ad minis terium consecratur [IV . Council of Carthage,ap.Morin. p. 260 ]. Sacramentary of St. Leo [Migne, p. 260]. Domine Deus,preces nostras clementer exaudi (5). Oremus dilectissimi (a ). Deus Consolator. Adesto quæsumus (B). Sacramentary of Gelasius [Morin , p. 267]. Ordination. Ad ordinand. Diac. Oremus dilectissimi(a). Exaudi, Domine Deus, preces nostras (5). Consecration - Adesto quæsumus (B). Ad consummandum — Commune votum ( ). Benediction - Domine Sancte Spei (8). Sacramentary of P. Gregory. Presentation by the Archdeacon.

Address to the people - Auxiliante Domino (o). The Litany (x). Ordination with laying on of hands. Prayer - Oremus dilectissimi (a). Prayer for the Holy Spirit- Exaudi Domine Deus (9). Consecration - Adesto quæsumus (B ). Investiture with the stole (e). Liturgia Alemannica (Gerberti, 40, 9th century). Ordination. Benedictio - Oremus dilectissimi (a). Exaudi Domine (E). Consecratio, Adesto quæsumus . . . . honorum Dator (6). Gallican Liturgy. Deacon (Muratori, 664 ; Migne, xxi., 320 ). Allocutio ad populum , ending Si vestra apud meam concordat electio testimonium quod vultis vocis adprobate. Per Domi num . Oratio - Oremus dilectissimi (a). Consecratio - Adesto quæsumus (B ). Exaudi Domine (E).

Ad consummandum Diaconi officium - Commune votum ( ). Benedictio – Domine Sancte Spei. Pontifical [Claudius A. üz .42 ( Cotton MS.), ofthe 10th century]. Oratio ad ordinandum Diaconi- Oremus dilectissimi(a). Exaudi, Domine, preces nostras (5). Domine Deus omnipotens. Consecratio - Adesto quæsumus omnipotens Deus honorum Dator (B ). Ad consummandum Diaconi officium - Commune votum ( ). Benedictio - Domine Sancte Spei (8). Investiture with stole (e). Consecration of the deacon's hands with oil and chrism . The Mass. Pontifical of Egbert. Address by the Bishop - Auxiliante Domino (0). The Litany (x). p. 533 Investiture with stole . Delivery of the Gospel. Ordination of the Deacon with laying on of hands by the Bishop.

Benediction of the Deacon - Oremus, dilectissimi (a). (alia) Exaudi, Domine ( ). Consecration ofthe Deacon - Prayer for the Holy Spirit, Adesto, quæsumus (B). Collect ad conservandum diaconatus officii, Commune votum (w ). Benediction - A Prayer referring to St. Stephen : Domine Sancte Spei (8). Consecration ofthe hands of the Deacon with holyoil and chrism . DEACON [Harl. MS. 2906, fo. 8, 10th century]. Presentation by the Archdeacon (u ). The Gospel is rcad. Si quis. Litany (x). Ordination by the Bishop only. Commune votum - Address to the people ( ). Præfatio Oremus dilectissimi (a). Consecratio – Adesto quæsumus (B). Delivery of the stole. Prayer for the Deacon with allusion to St.

Stephen. Deacons. Deacons and Subdeacons approach together with their habits [Bangor also ] [separately Winchester and Exeter] (u). The Litany Comitted by Winton Pont.] ( ). The Deaconsretire. The Bishop'saddress. Diaconum oportet (a longer form in Winton Pont.]. Ordination by the Bishop, saying, Accipe Spiritum Sanctum (the form omitted in Winton Pont.]. Præfatio - Oremus, dilectissimi(a). Exaudi Domino (5). Vere Dignum , with a prayer in it for the Holy Ghost - Emitte in cor Spiritum Sanctum . Investiture with the stole. [A long prayer in Winton Pontifical.] [The delivery of the Gospels.] Commune votum ] (w ). [Domine Sancte, Pater Spei] (8). Delivery of the Gospels xx. Domine Sancte, Pater fidei spei, etc.

(8) Delivery ofthe dalmatic. Reading of theGospels by a newly-ordained Deacon. oo 1549, 1552, 1662. Presentation to the Bishop (u ). Address to the people (Præfatio a. s.7 ]. Litany (x ). Holy Communion. Collect- Almighty God,Who by Thy Divine Providence. [Consecratio ] (B). The Epistle, 1 Tim . iii. 8, or Acts vi. 2. Examination of Candidates. Ordination by the Bishop. Delivery of theGospel XX. The Gospel, St. Luke xii. 35, read by a Deacon oo. Collect-- Almighty God,Giver ofall good (ad consummandum ](8). Prevent us, O Lord [added 1662]. Benediction [added 1662]. Ordering of Priests. The earliest services agree in containing a prayer, ad ordinan dum Presbyterum , called the Preface in the Salisbury Pontifical;

the Consecratio corresponding to the Collect, “ Almighty God, Giver of all good things;” the Consummatio, a final Collect, and the Benedictio. The Prayer for the giving of the Holy Ghost | was about the 10th century added to the proper Preface of the Mass Vere dignum , and after the 13th century took the direct form — “ Receive the Holy Ghost," and in some Pontificals the Vere dignum is directed to be left out. As early as the time of Pope Gregory there was an investiturewith the chasuble ; and in the 10th century a delivery of the chalice and paten, and a change in the arrangement of the stole :

the Consecration ofthe hands occurs in the Gregorian Sacramentary,and of thehead in the Pontifical of Egbert. Thearrangement of the chasuble, and the introduction of theHymn, “ Veni, Creator Spiritus," were far later insertions. Presbyter cuin ordinatur Episcopo eum benedicente et manum super caputejustenente,etiam omnes Presbyteriquipræsentessunt manus suas juxta manum Episcopi super caput illius teneant (IV. Counc.of Carthage]. Sacramentary of Pope Leo [Migne,55. 115]. Oremus, dilectissimi(8). Exaudinos (w). Domine Sancte (a). Sacramentary of Gelasius [Morin, 267]. Priest. Si quis. Litany. Ordination by the Bishop . Ad ordinandum Presbyterum - Oremus, dilectissimi (8 ). Exaudi nos (Y ). Consecratio - Domine Sancte, Pater omnipotens æterne Deus honorum , etc. (a ). Consummatio - Sit nobis fratres communis oratio (8).

Benedictio - Sanctificationum omnium Autor (o). Gregory's Sacramentary. Priest. Presentation by the Archdeacon. Litany. Ordination with laying on of hands. Prayer for blessing on the Priest - Oremus,dilectissimi (B). Prayer for the Holy Ghost- Exaudinos, quæsumus ( ). Consecratio - Domine Sancte (a ). Investiture with the chasuble. Consecration of the hands (5) . Gallican Liturgy [Muratori, 666 ; Migne, lxxii. 521]. Allocutio ad populum ending, Ideo electionem vestram debetis voce publica profiteri. Oratio - Oremus, dilectissimi(8 ). Exaudi nos ( ). Consecratio – Domine Sancte . . . . honorum , etc. (a) Consummatio - Sit nobis patres communis oratio (8). Benedictio - Deus Sanctificationum (o ). MS. Pontifical [Claud.

A .iii.]. Priest. Ordination . Oratio ad Ordinandum Presbyterum . Oremus, dilectissimi(B). Exaudi quæsumus, Domine Deus ( ). The stole is changed. Consecratio (a). Domine Sancte Pater omnipotensæterne. Dispositor honorum , etc. Consecration of the Priest'shands with chrism ,with prayer, and of his head with oil. Investiture with the chasuble (e). Consecratio - Presbyteri, Sit nobis communis oratio (8). The Mass. Pontificalof Egbert [735 — 766 ]. Investiture with the stole, with a prayer. Mention of the title on which the Priest is ordained. Ordination by laying on of the hands of the Bishop and Priests, with a prayer. Oratio ad Presbyterum ordinandum - Oremus, dilectissimi (B ). Exaudi nos ( ).

Consecration ofthe Priest - DomineSancte, Pater omnipotens (m ). p. 534 Benediction of the Priest - Deus Sanctificationum (o ). Investiture with the chasuble (€). Consecration of the handswith chrism in the shape of (5) a cross, and of the head of the Priest with oil. Liturgia Alemannica,9th century [Gerberti,41]. Ordination - The Priests holding their hands next the Bishop's hands. Benedictio - Oremus, dilectissimi (B). Consecratio - Domine Sancte (a ). Consecration of the hands. PRIEST (Harl. 2906, 10th century]. Presentation by two Deacons and two Priests Ordination by Bishop and Priests. Quoniam , dilectissimi. Address to the people. Preface - Oremus, dilectissimi (B). Exaudi nos ( ). Vere dignum , with Æterne Deus bonorum dator (a).

Investiture with stole. Benediction - Deus Sanctificationum (o). Cruciform unction of both hands ((). Delivery of paten and chalice. Benediction. Salisbury.— Priests. Presentation by Archdeacon. Duties of Priesthood explained - Sacerdotem oportet. [ A long address by the Bishop. Winton Pontif.] Ordination by the Bishop in silence, the Priests assisting. Præfatio Sacerdotum cum nota stando, Oremus, dilectissimi (B). [ In the Exeter Pontifical is the Populi Commonitio, Commune votum .] Exaudinos, quæsumus. Vere dignum , with prayer for the Priests. Investiture with stole and chasuble. Consecration of the handswith oil and chrism . Oratio - Deus Sanctificationum omnium (o ). The Hymn, “ Veni, Creator Spiritus” [omitted in Winton Ponti fical].

Blessing ofthehands. Delivery of the paten and chalice. [ In the Winton Pontifical Consummatio - Sit nobis. Communis oratio (8). Deus Sanctificationum (o ). The Benediction.] The Mass - After the Post-Communion. The ordination by the Bishop - Accipe Spiritum Sanctum . Arrangement of the chasuble. [This is found also in the Greek Euchologium ,where “ the Bread” is put into the hand of the newly ordained Priest. The Deacon has a flapper delivered to him . Assemanni, xi. 132.] Benediction. 1549, 1552, 1662. Sermon or Exhortation . Presentation by the Archdeacon . Address to the people. After the 1662 The Litany. Veni, Creator, Collect - Almighty God [the Consecra 1552.

tion (a) and Preface]. Epistle, Eph. iv. 7 [Acts xx. ; 1 Tim . iii., 15527. The Gospel,Matt. ix. 36 [Matt. xxviii., 1552]. John x. 1 (and John xx., 1552]. Address to the Candidates. [after the Veni, Creator, Prayer for them . 1552.] Veni, Creator (after the Gospel, 1552]. Prayer - Almighty God [Benediction (0)]. Ordination by the Bishop, the Priests assisting. Delivery of the Bible. Prevent us, O Lord [1662]. The Benediction (1662]. CONSECRATION OF BISHOPS. The offices for consecration of a Bishop agree in having a Prayer for the Elect, Oremus, dilectissimi, the Benediction , Adesto supplicationibus, and the Consecration , Deus honorum . The Unction appears first in the Sacramentary of Gelasius, and the delivery of the staff in Egbert's Pontifical.

A form of en. thronization also occursat an early date. Episcopus cum ordinatur, duo Episcopi ponant et teneant Evangeliorum codicem supra caput et cervicem ejus, et uno super eum fundente benedictionem reliqui omnes Episcopi qui adsunt manibus suis caput ejus tangant. (IV. Council of Carthage.] Sacramentary of Pope Leo [Migne,ly. 114 ]. Exaudi, Domine, supplicum preces (€). Suscipe, Domine. Adesto,Misericors Deus (Y). Propitiare Deus (a). Deushonorum omnium (B ). Sacramentary of Gelasius [Morin , 267]. Consecration with laying on of theGospels. Oremus, dilectissimi(8). Adesto supplicationibus (q ). Propitiare Domine (a). Deushonorum omnium (B ). Unction with chrism . In a very ancient French Pontifical of Poictiers, c. 511 - 60, printed by Morin .

Exhortation to the people. Oremus, dilectissimi ( ). Exaudi, Domine (e). Propitiare, Domine (a ). Collect - Deum totius sanctificationis. Consecratio – Deus honorum omnium (B), containing a prayer for spiritualunction. Sacram . Gregorii [Migne, lxxviii.p. 223]. Ordination with imposition of hands. Prayer for the Bishop -- Oremus, dilectissimi (8). Benediction of the Bishop - Adesto supplicationibus nostris ( ). Another prayer for the same- Propitiare, etc. (a). Consecration - Deushonorum omnium (B). Unction. Gallican Liturgy (Muratori, 669 ; Migne, lxxii. 323 ). Exhortatio ad populum . Oratio et preces - Oremus, dilectissimi, the third Prayer in the Ordo Romanus ( ). Exaudi, Domine (€). Propitiare, Domine (a). Collectio – Deus omnium sanctificationum .

Consecratio - Deus honorum omnium , with a prayer for unction of the Holy Ghost, and for enthronement (B). Liturgia Alemannica [9th century, Gerberti, 42 ]. Benedictio -- Adesto quæsumus ( ). Propitiare (a). Consecratio - Deus honorum , with prayer for the Holy Spirit (B). Pont. Egberti. Ordination by one Bishop pronouncing the Benediction, two hold. ing the Gospels over the neck of the ordained, and the rest holding their hands over his head. | Oremus, dilectissimi(8). Three Prayers } Adesto supplicationibus ( ). Propitiare, Domine (a). Consecration of the hands of the Bishop. Unction of his head. Delivery ofthe pastoral staff and rin “. p. 535 Prayer ad pontificem ordinandum - Deus honorum omnium (B).

Installation ofthe Bishop on his throne,with prayer,Omnipotens Pater ($). The Benediction . Benedictio in consummatione Episcopi. Spiritus Sanctus Septiformis veniat super te, et virtus Altissimisine peccato cus todiat te,et omnis benedictio quæ in Scripturis Sanctis scripta est super te veniat. Confirmet te Deus Pater et Filius et Spiritus Sanctus,ut habeas vitam æternam et vivas in sæcula sæculorum . Amen . Salisbury Pontifical. Bishop. Presentation by two Bishops. Examination by the Archbishop. TheMass begun with the Prayer Adesto supplicationibus (y), to the end of the Sequence. The Archdeacon robes the Elect. Two Bishops present him . Oremus, dilectissimi(0). The Litany. [The Hymn - Veni, Creator ] [Winton Pontif.] The Gospels laid on the head of the Elect (with Accipe Spiritum Sanctum , Exeter Pont.].

Veni, Creator. Vere Dignum , with the preface for the Bishop Elect. Domine Sancte . . . . honor omnium dignitatum (B ). Unction of the head of the Electwith oiland chrism . Preface and Prayers for the Elect, for the gifts of theHoly Spirit. Pater Sancte, omnipotens Deus (C). Benediction of the Septiform Spirit [occurring also in Pont. Egberti). Unction of thehands of the Elect. The delivery of the pastoral staff [also in Pont. Egbert and Dunstan ]. The delivery of the ring [also in Pont.Egbert]. The delivery of themitre. The delivery of the Gospels. The Post-Communion . Greek Euchologium [of the 11th century]. Ordination of a Bishop. After the Trisagion the Archbishop goes up upon the steps of the Sanctuary before the Holy Table, and receives a letter, stating that by the approbation of the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, the heavenly grace which healeth the weak and supplieth that which is lacking, promotes this godly Priest N .

to be Bishop of the city * ,and we therefore pray that the Grace of the Holy Spirit may descend upon him . The Archdeacon then says, “ Attend," and the Patriarch reads the letter ; then Kyrie Eleison is said,and the Elect is led up by three Bishops, assistants in the consecration. Then the Patriarch lays the book of the Gospels on his neck, the Bishops touching it ; three signs ofthe cross aremade on his head, and the Bishop holding his hand on it says two prayers : he then invests him with the pall; and after enthronization the newly consecrated Bishop communicates the Patriarch . Assemanni [xl.

125 ]. 1549, 1552, 1662. Communion Office. Collect - Almighty God . Epistle [1 Tim .iii. 1]. Acts xx. 17 (16627. Gospel - John xxi. 15 . John xx. 19 [ 1662]. John x. [1552]. Matt. xxviii. 18 (1662]. Presentation to the Bishop. Oath of due Obedience. Address to the Congregation. The Litany. Prayer - Almighty God, Giver of all good things [Consecra tion ] (B). | Address to the Elect. Interrogation of the Elect. The Elect robes. Veni, Creator. Prayer - Almighty God [Benediction ] (Y). Consecration by three Bishops. Delivery of the Bible (and of the staff, 1549]. Prayer - Most Merciful Father. Prevent us (1662). Benediction (1662 ].

The first change in the old English Pontificals was made by the omission of the oath of Obedience to the Bishop of Romeby Act 28 Hen . VIII. C. X. In the winter of 1548, a Committee, consisting of the Primate, the Bishopsof Rochester, Ely, Lincoln, and Westminster, according to Heylin (Hist.of Reform ., pp. 57, 58 ], the Deans of St. Paul's, Lincoln , Exeter, Ch. Ch.,Archdeacon Robertson, and Redmayne, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, and, as Burnet adds, (Collier inclining tothe samebelief,) the Arch. bishop of York, and Bishops of London , Durham , Worcester, Norwich , St. Asaph, Salisbury, Coventry, Carlisle, Bristol, and St. David's [Burnet, Hist.of the Reform .

pt. ii. b. i.,and Collier, Eccles. Hist. pt. ii. b. iv.], was appointed to reconstruct an Or dinal. The old books of Ecclesiasticaloffices had been destroyed ruthlessly and needlessly by the King's orders [Cardwell, Doc. Ann., No.xx.] ; and therefore, in November, 1549, the Parliament made an Act,declaring that " forasmuch as concord and unity to be had within the King's Majesty's dominions,it is requisite to have one uniform fashion and manner for making and consecrat ing of bishops, priests, and deacons, or ministers of the Church : Be it therefore enacted by the King's Highness,with theassent of the Lords spiritualand temporal,and the Commonsin this present Parliament assembled ,andby the authority of the same,that such form and manner of making and consecrating of archbishops, bishops, priests, deacons, and other ministers of the Church, as by six prelates and six other men of this realm , learned in God's law, by the King's Majesty to be appointed and assigned , or by themost number of them , shall be devised for that purpose, and set forth under theGreat Seal of England before the 1st day of Aprilnext coming, shallby virtue of the present Act be lawfully exercised and used,and none other, any statute or law or usage to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding " [3 and 4 Edw.

VI. c. xii.). In the House of Lords, the Bishops of Durham , Chichester, Carlisle, Worcester, and Westminster, protested against the Act Burnet,pt. ii. b. i.). Cranmer had the chief hand of the work Strype's Mem . of Cranmer, ch. xi.], and, it is said, drew up the preface. Three offices only were prepared, although the Statute had mentioned the ordering of other Ministers of the Church, that is, clergy in minor orders, Subdeacons and Readers, & c. It was providentialthat the counsels of themoremoderate party in the Church prevailed over the rash advice of the intemperate and Germanizing section , who would have abolished much that wasof ancientuse. Poynet wished to abandon the very name of Bishop.

Grindal called it themummery of consecration. Jewel would have had no clerical dress, and Hooper would notwear it. In the new form the unction of the Priest's hands, a French rite in the sixth century,unknown in theGreek Church,and not prac tised at Rome until after the time of Nicholas I., was laid aside; as was also the blessing of the Priest's habit with a special bless ing for his offering acceptable sacrifices, a ceremonial not of earlier date than the eighth century. But the delivery of the chalice,or cup with the brend, which had been practised in the tenth century, was retained. Itmaybe observed , that under the Law certain portions of the offertory were placed in the hands of Aaron and of his sons, symbolically of their office of presenting the sacrifices before the Lord [Exod.

xxix. 24 ]. The Service began with an Exhortation ; and one of the following Psalms, xl., cxxxii.,and cxxxv., at the discretion of the celebrant,was to be sung as the introit to the Holy Communion. For the Epistle was appointed Acts xx. 17 - 35, or else 1 Tim . ii . 1. 8 ; for the Gospel,Matt. xxviii. 18 to the end, or John x. 1 - 16 , or John p. 536 XX. 19 - 23. The Veni Creator having was presented by the Archdeacon . Then followed the Litany with a special Collect. The Deacon to be ordained Priest was have a plain albe upon him ; the dress appointed for the candidnte for Deacon's orders, with the addition of the word “ white."

The oath of the King's supremacy was administered , and Exhortation madeby the Bishop, who proceeded to put a series questions copied literally in part, and wholly in spirit, from interrogatories made in the Elder Pontificals to Bishops ; after certain space kept in silence for prayers by the congregation, Bishop, having said a prayer, ordained the Deacon to the Priest hood, and delivered to him the Bible ; the Holy Communion lowed, with a special Prayer before the Benediction . In ord e rin g of D e a c o ns , t h e o rd er w a s a s i n the p r e s e n t F o rm .

I n t he L it a n y , h o w e ve r , th r ee o f t he pe t i ti o n s r a n t hus: “ From all sedition and privy conspiracy, from the tyranny of Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormnities,” & c. “ That mny please Thee to illuminate all Bishops, Priests, and Ministers of the Church ," & c. “ That it may please Thee to bless men, and send Thy grace upon them , that they may duly execute the office now to be committed unto them to the edifying of Church,and to Thy honour,praise, and glory.”

The Epistle 1 Tim , iii. 8 - 16 , or Acts vi. 2. The oath of the King's supremacy was much longer, and in a different form . The newly-appointed Deacon was to " read theGospelof that day,putting on a tunicle." If Deacons and Priests were ordained at the same time, the whole ofthethree chaptersof the First Epistle to Timothy was read . the form of consecrating an Archbishop or Bishop,the Psalm the introit at the Holy Communion was to be the sameas at ordering of Priests. The Epistle was 1 Tim . iii. I, and Gospel, John xxi. 15, or “ chap. x., as in the order of Priests.”

At the presentation, the elected Bishop was to have upon him surplice and cope, and the presenting Bishops to be in surplices and copes,and bearing their pastoral staves in their hands. Archbishop laid the Bible on the neck of the consecrated Bishop, and put the staff into his hand, saying, “ Be to the flock," & c. This complete Form and Manner was published in March, 1549 -1550, and printed by Richard Grafton, Printer to King, and five Bishops were consecrated according to it. happily the efforts of the extremereformers prevailed now the better judgment of the Catholic party. The influence Peter Martyr, Alasco, Bucer, and Calvin was felt in the counsels ofHooper, Poynet, and their followers.

In consequence of their representations, a new review was instituted in the commence mentof 1551; and on and after All Saints' Day, 1552,the Second Book of Edward VI. was ordered to be in use. The handiwork of violentmen of factious, peevish, and perverse spirit is only recognizable, “ bewraying their own folly," and " full of innovations and newfangleness.” Several laudable practices of Church of England, or indeed of the whole Catholic Church Carist, were now laid aside. The introits of the Holy Commu nion, the habits of the candidates and of thepresenting and elect ing Bishops, the delivery of the chalice and sacred elements, of the pastoral staff, was omitted, and only one change wasmade fir the better at the instance of Hooper, the substitution in oath of the King's supremacy of the words, So help meGod, through Jesus Christ, for all Saints and theholy Evangelists.

statute 5 and 6 Edw . VI. cap. i. $ 45, the form and manner making and consecrating of Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, was annexed to the Book of Common Prayer, “ faith fully and godly perused, explained, and made fully perfect." This Act passed the House of Commons,and was returned to Lords, April 14, 1552 [Collier, Eccles. Hist. p. iv. b. ii. Burnet, p. ii. b . i.], and the 35th of the Articles drawn up in 1552 a Committee delegated by both Houses of Convocation, and force until 6 Eliz., declares that the book of the Ordering of Ministers of the Church, for truth of doctrine is godly, and nothing is repugnant to the sound doctrine of the Gospel, agreeth thereto, and doth much promote and illustrate the same.

The 25th Article,entitled, “ Nemo in Ecclesia ministret nisi vocatus," is literally thesameas the 23rd in the Articles of Religion 1562. Only one Bishop was consecrated according tothis Ordinal. who had been consecrated according to the use of the old Pon totificals : upon theaccession of Queen Mary,theActs of 3 Edw . VI. c. xii., for drawing up the Ordinal, and 5 Edw. VI. c. i., for an | nexing it to the Book of Common Prayer,wererepealed ; and after the December 20, 1553, the forms commonly used in England in the of lastyearof King Henry VIII.wereonly tobeused . An unanswer. the able testimony that the main body and essentials,as well in the a chiefest materials as in the frame and order thereof, had been the continued the samein the Reformed Ordinals, is contained in the fact that the Roman party contented themselves with re fol.

| quiring “ the supply of those things wanted before," such as the unction and the delivery of sacred vessels and of the proper t h h ab e i M ts in [ i A s r t t er . s xvor.d1a5i5n3e.d acBcuorrndeitn,gptt.o iit.heb .neiiw.],foarnmd (sCoarredcwon.c,iDlioncg. the Ann., No. xxx. Heylin's Hist. ofthe Reform ., p. 206 ], and Pope it Julius in his Bull, 1553, giving Legatine power to Cardinal Pole,desired him to reconcile and reinstate the Bishops and Arch these bishops in their Cathedral Churches, and permit them to ordain to the priesthood ,- ad quoscunque etiam sacros et Presbyteratus Thy ordines promovere et in illis aut per eos jam licet minùs rectè was susceptis ordinibus, etiam in altaris ministerio ministrare necnon munusconsecrationis suscipere (Cardw ., Doc.

Ann. xxxii.]. Itwill beborne in mind that these subsidiary rites and ceremonies, as | will be shown on a later page, are regarded by Roman Catholic Canonists of the first rank and eminence to be wholly unessential In and of very late introduction . On June 13, 1558,every copy of for the English Ordinal was required to be delivered up to the the Ordinary of the diocese [Cardwell, No.xxxix.]. Thirteen Bishops the were consecrated during the imprisonment of the Primate Cranmer, and as many were irregularly intruded into sees not a vacant [Burnet, pt. ii. b. ii. Heylin , p. 208 ] by the authority of the Pope,which had been renounced by the Provincial Synods of The Canterbury and York , as well as by individual dioceses.

In November, 1558, Queen Mary and Cardinal Pole died. On the accession of Queen Elizabeth the Second Book of Edward VI. with the Ordinal having been reviewed by Parker, the Cox, Pilkington, Grindal, Sandys, Guest, May, Bill, and Smith, Un. was restored by Act of Parliament, April 20, 1 Eliz. c. i . $ 3, to over be in force and effect after June 24 , and the Act of Repeal passed of in Queen Mary's reign was annulled . On December 17, 1559, at Lambeth Chapel, Parker was consecrated to the arch-see of Canterbury by the Bishops of Chichester, Bedford , and Exeter. The Ordinal had been included under the “ words of Administra tion of Sacraments, Rites, and Ceremonies,” but Bp.

Bonner objected that it was not expressly named, although of course it too formed an integral part of the Book of Common Prayer by statute of 1552,and had been repealed together with it in 1553. the However, to put an end to all such exceptions, an Act was passed of September 13, 1566 , 8 Eliz. cap. i. $ 3, 5, confirmed by 1 Jac. I. c. xxv. § 48, authorizing the use of the Ordinal in future, and declaring that all persons that had been or should be made, and ordered, or consecrated by it were true Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. But the XXXVIth Article of Religion, the drawn up in 1562, and confirmed by Convocation , 1571, had already decreed the validity of all orders conferred according to By | thenew Ordinal since the second year of Edward VI., and the of Act, 13 Eliz.

c. xii., required subscription to those Articles by and the Clergy; the Constitutions Ecclesiastical, 1575, further re. quired that Holy Orders should be given only according to the form and manner of the Ordinal; and in those of 1604 [ c. xxxvi.] the all impugners of the Ordinalwere declared excommunicate, and all candidates for the ministry required to acknowledge its con by formity with the Word of God . Courayer mentions the im in portant fact that Pope Pius IV . by his envoy offered to confirm the the whole English Prayer Book, of course including the Ordinal, in provided the Church of England would be reconciled to the but Pope and acknowledge his supremacy (ch.

xiii. p. 235 ]. In 1640,when a complete Pontifical was to have been drawn up, the form of Ordering Bishops, Priests, and Deacons was to of have been retained [Heylin, Cypr. Anglic. pt. ii. p. 414 ). In January, 1645, the Book of Common Prayer was prescribed. p. 537 On March 25, 1661, by royal commission , King Charles II. em powered Conferences to be held for a “ review of the Book of Common Prayer, comparing the same with the most ancient Liturgies which have been used in the primitive and purest times.” Bishops Cosin, Wren, Sanderson , Nicholson, Morley, Henchman, Skinner, and Warner proceeded to undertake the work, assisted by the MS.

notes of Bishops Cosin, Overal, and Andrewes. On November 29, the Upper House were still at work upon the revision of the Ordinal; on December 20, 1661, the Book was received ,approved, and subscribed by both Houses. On May 19, 1662, the Bill for the Uniformity of Public Prayers and Administration of the Sacraments received the Royal Assent, and provided that the new Book should be used after the Feast of St. Bartholomew , 1662 (13 & 14 Car. II. c. iv. $ 32). Itwas authorized again by Act, 1706 , 5 Ann . C. v. viii. art. xxv. S vii. The alterations, additions, and variations were chiefly made in rubrics for the better direction of those officiating in the Service, in a clearer explanation of somewords and phrases,and rendering the Epistles and Gospels according to the last translation .

The former were numerous and of greater significancy and importance. In the Ordering of Deacons the words, “ After Morning Prayer is ended there shall be a Sermon or,” were added in the first rubric. The Bishop was required to be sitting in his chair near to the Holy Table, whilst the candidates were once more directed to be decently habited, that is in the habit and apparel suitable to the order to which they were to be ordained , — “ the vestures appointed for their ministry," a plain albe or surplice, with a cope for Priests, and albes with tunicles for Deacons, were appointed in the first Prayer Book of Edward VI.

This rubric therefore restored in spirit that of the first Prayer Book of Edward VI., whilst it was opposed to the old custom of investiture of the candidates by the Bishop's own hands. In the Litany the word “ rebellion ” was substituted for the passage, “ from the tyranny of the Bishop of Romeand his detestable enormities;" “ Bishops, Priests, and Deacons,” for the vague wording, “ Bishops, pastors, and ministers of the Church ;" and for “ to bless these men and send," & c., “ these Thy servants now to be admitted to the order of Deacons,and to pour Thy grace upon them .” The Prayer of St.

Chrysostom was omitted. This rubric was now added, “ then shall be sung or said the Service for the Communion, with the Collect,Gospel, and Epistle as followeth .” The candidate was desired to “ humbly kneel before the Bishop.” At the delivery of the Gospel, the words“ thereto licensed by the Bishop himself,” were substituted for “ thereunto ordinarily commanded .” Instead of the Gospel of the day, a proper Gospel was enjoined ; and the Collect, “ Prevent us, O Lord," was added from the Post-Communion Office. In the address on the duties of a Deacon, the words “ to baptize" were enlarged into these, “ in the absence of the Priest, to baptize infants;”

and the sentence “ they may be relieved by the parish or other convenient alms," was altered to “ relieved with the almsof the parishioners or others.” The Ordering of Priests. The form hitherto began with the Service for the Holy Communion ; after an Exhortation and the presentation of the Candidates, followed the singing of the Veni Creator, but it was now removed to the beginning of the Service in a manner like that for the Ordering of Deacons. For the Epistle of 1552, Acts xx. 17 – 35, or 1 Tim . iii., transferred to the Consecration of Bishops, because the aperBÚTepot mentioned therein were the Bishops of Asia Minor [St.

Chrysostom , Hom . xi. 1. Thcodoret in 1 Tim . iv. 14. Ecumenius, Comm. in 1 Tim .c. xiii. Theophylact in 1 Ep. ad Tim . iv. 14 . Suicer, Thes. Eccles. ii. p. 824. Aquinas, Comm . cap. iv. § 3 ], Eph . iv. 7 was appointed . The Gospel, Matt. xxviii. 18 - 20, now the appro priate third Gospel for the Consecration of Bishops, was ex. changed for Matt. ix . 36 , and the third Gospel, John xx., was removed to that Service also . Another translation of the hymn, Veni Creator, probably made by Dryden, was added . The words “ for the office and work of a Priest in the Church of God now committed unto thee by the imposition of our hands,” were inserted after the words “ Receive the Holy Ghost,” in order to determine the Ordination to the Priesthood.

The old rubric was | ambiguous : “ if the Orders of Deacon and Priesthood be given both upon one day, then shall all things at the Holy Communion be used as they are appointed at the Ordering of Priests, saving that for the Epistle the whole of 1 Tim . iii. shall be read as it is set out before in the Ordering of Priests, and immediately after the Epistle, the Deacons shall be ordered, and it shall suffice the Litany be said once.” It was now expanded into a fuller and clearer shape : “ And if on the sameday the Orders of Deacons be given to some, and the Order of Priesthood to others, the Deacons shall be first presented and then the Priests, and it shall suffice that the Litany be once said for both.

The Collects shall | both be used, first that for Deacons, then that for Priests. The Epistle shall be Eph. iv. 7 – 13, as before in this Office. Im mediately after which they that are to be made Deacons shall take the Oath of Supremacy, be examined and ordained as is above prescribed. Then one of them having read the Gospel, which shall be either out of Matt. ix. 36 - 38, as before in this Office,or else Luke xii. 35 -- 38,as before in the form for Ordering of Deacons, they that are to be made Priests shall likewise take the Oath of Supremacy, be examined and ordained as in this Office is before explained.”

Consecration of a Bishop. In place of the old title and rubric, “ The form of Consecrating of an Archbishop or Bishop," these were added, “ The form of Ordaining or Consecrating of an Archbishop or Bishop, which is always to be performed on some Sunday or Holyday.” “ When allthings are duly prepared in the Church and set in order.” “ AfterMorning Prayer is ended, the Archbishop, or some other Bishop appointed , shall begin the Communion Service, inwhich this shall be the Collect,” the latter containing a slight alteration of the Collect for St. Peter's day, the name of that Apostle being omitted. The word ordaining was added to show the distinction between the Orders of Priest and Bishop, and the ceremonial was directed to take place on a Sunday or Festival, a special collect being added.

The Epistle, Acts xx. 17, with the rubric, “ And another Bishop shallread the Epistle,” was added, and the Gospel, John xx. 19 (in place of “ John X., as in the Ordering of Priests "), or Matt. xxviii. 18 , with the rubric, " Then another Bishop shall read the Gospel,” was inserted ; thus securing the presence of at least three Bishops, the Canonical number, and the reading of appropriate passages of Holy Scripture. The former rubric, “ After the Gospel and Credo ended, first the elected Bishop shall be presented by two | Bishops unto the Archbishop of that province, or to some other Bishop appointed by his commission, the Bishops that present him saying," was amplified thus, “ After the Gospel and Nicene Creed and the Sermon are ended, the elected Bishop,vested with his rochet, shall be presented by two Bishops unto the Archbishop ofthat province,or to someother Bishop appointed by lawful com mission,the Archbishop sitting in his chair near the Holy Table, and the Bishops that present him saying.”

A provision was thus made for a proper habit to be worn by the Elect, for the proper position of the Archbishop, and for the appointment of his representative in case of his illness or death. In the next rubric the words “ person elected ” were changed into “ persons elected.” In the Litany the rubric was altered from “ he shall say,” to “ the proper suffrage there following shall be | omitted,and this inserted instead of it.” In the address to the Elect the words “ to the government of the congregation of Christ,” were altered to “ government in the Church of Christ.” After / the sixth question, was inserted a new interrogatory, “ Will you | be faithful in ordaining, sending, or laying hands upon others ?

Answer. I will so be, by the help of God.” After these ques. tions, for the words “ the Archbishop,” the rubric was added , “ then the Archbishop, standing up, shall say;" and for the rubric “ then shall be sung or said, Come, Holy Ghost,” another was substituted , “ Then shall the Bishop Elect put on the rest of the Episcopal habit, and kneeling down, Veni Creator Spiritus shall be sung or said over him , the Archbishop begin ning, and the Bishopswith others that are present answering by verses as followeth.” In the rubric preceding the Consecration the words, “ kneeling before them on his knees,” were added after “ the elected Bishop ;"

and for the form , “ Take the Holy p. 538 Ghost, and in thee by imposition of hands, forGod hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and of soberness,” another was ordered : “ Receive the Holy Ghost for the office and work of a Bishop in the Church of God, now committed unto thee by the imposition of our hands, in the name of the Father, and of the Son , and of the Holy Ghost. Amen . And remember," & c., thus emphatically marking the consecration to the Episcopate. The words “ with other," were changed into “ with others” who were to communicate with the new -consecrated Bishop ;

and " after the last Collect" to " for the last Collect,” “ Prevent us, O Lord," being inserted before the Benediction . Such is the history of the great revision of theOrdinalof 1662. Some ceremonies were with reverence restored in conformity with ancient precedents; many improvements were made, and certain reconstructions to secure greater conformity in the ser vices were carried out. In the year 1689 some insidious designs against the integrity of the Ordinal were set on foot ; but, underGod's good providence, frustrated. With some few varia tions, it is in use in that great branch of the Catholic Church founded in the United States of America, and in the sister Churches of Ireland and Scotland it has been preserved in its complete form .

The Greek words for Ordination were telecoûv, åydserv John. son 's Unbl. Sac. ch . ii. sect. 1 ], and telcoloupyta, kadıépwois [Zonaras in I. Can .Apost.], and, by Dionysius, iepatiky Telelwois, but almost universally xelpotovla in the sense both of Election [ 1 Conc. Nicær. A.D. 325, c. iv. 1 Conc. Antioch, A.D. 341, c. xix., and Laodicæa, A.D. 365, c. v. 2 Cor. viii. 19, as the Jewish Judges of Consistories and the public Magistrates of Athenswere chosen by a show of hands] and of Ordination by laying on of hands [Acts xiv. 23. 1 Tim . iv . 14. 2 Tim .i.6 ]. But the latter is almost wholly and certainly the proper sense in which it was applied.

[ St. Hieron., Comm . in Esai. c. lviii. Conc. Neo-Cæsar. c. ix. A.D. 314. Ancyra, c. 314, c. x. 2 Conc. Nic. c. xiv. St. Basil, Ep. ad Amph. c. x. St. Chrys. in Ep.ad Tit. c. i. Hom . ii. in Ep. ad Phil.] The word xeipodeola, employed by the Council of Antioch , c. 341, c. x., and the 2 Counc. of Nicæa, c. 4, means benediction of the ordained ; &# 10cois Tv Xeipwv, which expresses the actual ceremony or matter of Ordination, is a mere synonym for xelpotovía. The laying on of the Bishop's hands is the only essential rite of Ordination, being of Apostolical origin , having Scriptural authority, and being that ceremony which has prevailed in all ages and among all branches of the Catholic Church .

[ Inst. Calvini, lib. ix. c. iii. & 16 . Reform . Leg . Eccles. de Sacr. c. vi. Becan. de Sacram . c. Ixvi. qu. iv. 3. 6.] Laying on of hands was the action used in blessing among the Jews (Gen . xlviii. 14 ], and was employed by our Saviour (Mark x. 16 ], and also in the consecration of Priests [Numb. xxvii. 18 , 19. Deut. xxxiv. 9. Numb. viii. 10 . Exod . viii. 6 , 7 ], the hand being symbolical of Divine aid [Ps. lxxxix. 21, 22. Ezek . iii. 14 ]. Our Lord used the incommunicable ceremony of Breathing, as the Author of the heavenly gift, and as showing that the assistance of the Holy Ghost, which proceedeth from Him alone, could make efficient ministers of the New Testament, and would be given to thein for their spiritual work.

But as He ascended He laid on His up lifted hands and blessed His Apostles (Luke xxiii. 507, and this significant action was adopted by them as symbolical of Divine protection, and a token of delegated and spiritual power. Thus St. Paul and St. Barnabas were ordained with prayer and the laying on of hands, and are said to be sent forth by the Holy Ghost [Acts xii. 3 ]. Thus St. Timothy was consecrated ( 1 Tim . iv. 14. 2 Tim . i. 6 ] ; thus the Bishops, ordained by the Apostles, are said to have been constituted by the Holy Ghost [Acts xx. 28). Thus DeaThciosndsowcetrrieneorhdaasinbeeedn(hAecltdsbv y i.F3at],haernsd , C P o r u i n e c s i ts ls ( , 1 an T d im C .

an v o . n 2 i 2 st ). s. [St. Jerome in Esai. lviii. 10. St. Augustine de gest. cum Emer. § xi.; de Bapt. contr. Donat. c. i. $ 2 ; contr.Ep. Parmen. 1. i. c. 13, § 28. St. Ambrose de Dign . Sacerd.; Comm . in 1 Tim . c. iv. Ep. ad Amphil. c. 1. St. Chrysostom , in cap. xv. Act. Hom . xiv. St. Gregory Nazianzen, Orat. xliii. in laude Basilii ; 1 Cone. Nicæn. A.D . 325, c. ix.; Antioch, 341, c. X.; IV .Carth . 398,c.ir. ix. ; Ancyra, 314 , c. X. ; Counc. of Mayence, 1549, c. XXXV.

; Cologne, 1536 , pt. i. c. i.; Trent, 1551, Sess. xiv. c. 3 ; and by the Reform . Leg. Eccles. de Eccl. p. 99, and by the ritualists Syın. Thess. C. v.; Dionys. Areop.; P . Innoc. i.ad Episc. Maced. Ep. xxi. § 5. St. Thom . Aquinas, Dist. xxiv. qu. ii. act. ii . Estius, 1. iv. d . 24, § 1. 24. Juennius de Sacr. Q. iii. diss. viii. Habert's Archier. p. 121. Morin de Sacr. Ord. pt. ii. Ex. i. c. 1, § 2. Dens. Tract.de Ord. vii. p. 47. Bellarmine de Sacr. Ord. lib. i. cix.; de Rom . Pont. lib. i. c. xii.

Marianus ape. nardum . Arcudius de Sacr. Ord. I. vi. c. 5. Maldonatus de vü . Sacr. qu.iii., & c. See also Prideaux, Validity, pp.70 – 82, and my “ Ordinal,” pp.248-9, note 1.] Theancient Sacramentaries make mention of no other rite. The Greek Bishops use only the right | hand in the ordination of Priests and Deacons; and the same | custom was observed, until the sixth century, itwould seem , in theWestern Church. In the English Church the Bishop lays on both hands, and in the Ordering of Priests, the Priests present, withoutspeaking,lay their hands conjointly with the Bishop on the head of the Deacon as a sign of their approbation and reception of the newly-ordained Priest, to give a proof of previous deliberation, and to guarantee to the Church that the Bishop was acting with | competent authority, and that there is no defect in his minis tration of the sacred rite.

It is a bare ceremony, as in the Greek 1 Church Priests salute the Priests, and Deacons the Deacons who | are newly ordained. The transition from the custom of the Eastern to that of the Western Church can readily be traced in the following stages. “ In the ordering of a Priest a Bishop, lay thyself thy hand in his hand, the Priests standing by ” [Const. Apost. 1. viii. c. xvi.]. “ This is the form of Ordinations," says Theophilusof Alexandria ; “ all the Priestsagree and choose, then the Bishop examines, and, with the assentof the Priests, ordains in themidst of the Church.” The third Canon ofthe 4th Council of | Carthage, A.D.

398, “ When a Priest is ordained, the Bishopblesses and holds his hand above his head, and all the Priests hold their hands next the Bishop's hand above his head,” is quoted in all the old Sacramentaries up to the twelfth century ; but in the | Pontifical of Corbey, of that date, the Priests are desired to hold their hands on his shoulder blades ; and in a still earlier one of the ninth century and some of the tenth century a distinction was made, the Bishop laying on his hand and the Priests holding theirs elevated [Martene, 1. i. c. viii., art ix. $ 9. Morin , P .

Ï . p. 280 ). The Bishop alone laid on hands in the ordination of Deacons (Martene, u . s. $ 1 ]. The Unction of the Priest's hands, and the delivery of the vessels and habits, were later ceremonies, which at the Reformation were laid aside; in the revised Prayer Book of 1552 the delivery of the chalice and paten and pastoral staff being also discontinued . The delivery of the Epistle to the Deacon , and of the Holy Bible to the Bishop and Priest, was probably introduced from the East through the Gallican Church,as it was the custom at Constantinople to place the order for the Holy Communion in the handsof the Priest, with the word "AGLOS ;

and by the Eucho logium , the Priest is directed at once to read from the Book of the Liturgy. In the African and Western Churches the Bishop alone received the Bible,but it was at length also given to Priests as being associates of the Bishop in teaching the people and the office of preaching. The essentialwords bywhich Orders are conveyed are Prayer for the grace of the Holy Ghost, with a blessing pronounced on the ordained. Hostiensis and P . Innocent, the chief of Canonists, ) held that it would be sufficient for the ordainer to say, “ Be a Priest,” or words to that effect, if the Church had not ordered a prescript form [ P .Suavis, Polani.

Hist. Conc. Trident. I. vü.art.6 ). | m F a o r as P op e I n n oce n t s a ys, n o w t ha t p ro p e r fo rm s ha v e b e e n d e an d e nac t e d b y t h e Ch u r ch , t he y m u s t be o f ne c ess i t y observed (ap . Nich . arch. Panorm . Comm . s.ii. pt. i. I. Decret.]. The 4th Councilof Carthage makes nomention of the form ; while in some of the old Sacramentaries and Pontificals are found a p. 539 long prayer or preface called the Consecration, and in others a prayer which was sung, beginning, “ Giver of honours,and dis tributor of orders.”

Thus, St. Augustine says, “ They prayed that the Holy Spiritmight come upon them on whom they laid | hands, a custom yet observed by the Church in her Bishops ; we can receive thisgiftaccording toourmeasure,but certainly cannot shed it upon others ; but that this may be done, we invokeGod who worketh the same on their behalf over them ” [de Trin . I. xv. c. xxvi. $ 46 ] ; and St. Ambrose, “ The Church, as having true Priests, rightly claims this ” [i. e. the Divine Commission ]. | The gift of the Holy Spirit is the priestly office. [De Pæn. 1. i. c. ii. $ 7.]

So God took of the Spirit which was upon Moses, and put it upon the Seventy. [Numb. xi. 17. 25.] In all this the old aphorism holds true, åvOpwrivn Tátis Oela de xdpis. And in order to receive spiritual strength and grace, in all rituals communion in the Holy Eucharist is required from the new . ordained or consecrated . In the Greek Church the words em ployed are,“ The DivineGrace, which helpeth them thatare weak and supplieth that which lacketh ,chooseth this godly Subdeacon (or Deacon) to be Deacon (or Priest) ” [Euchol.ap. Morin .de Sacr. Ord. P . i. p. 79 ] ; and in the Syro-Nestorian, “ He is separated, sanctified, perfected, and consecrated to do the ministry of a | Deacon in theChurch, and thework of a Levite, as did Stephen, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost."

The Church of England makes an express mention of the order to which the Candidate is to be appointed. For nine hundred years after Christ, there was no express statement of the Church respecting the power of consecrating Christ's Body and Blood in the ordering of Priests. The Greek Church does not give in express terms the power of consecrating thesacred elements, or of absolution ; the invocation of the Holy Ghost, a prayer of consecration, and a benediction by the Bishop, constituting her form ;butas an equivalentshe praysGod thatthe Priest may stand unblameable at His altar, to preach the Gospel of His salvation , to minister (iepovpyeiv ] the Word of His truth , to offer to Him gifts and spiritual sacrifices, and to renew His people by the laver of regeneration.

The Benediction of the old Pontificals resembled this prayer — “ May the blessing of the Father, the Son , and the Holy Ghost, be upon thee, that thou mayest be blessed in the order of Priesthood, and offer pro pitiatory sacrifices” (hostias]. In the Western Church the power of consecrating the Holy Eucharist was not named until the tenth century, and was not adopted in the Use of Bangor before the close of the thirteenth century ; but it is found in the Pontifical of Caetan before A.D . 1000, at the delivery of the paten and elements, and the chalice with wine — “ Take the power to offer the Sacrifice to God,and to celebrate Mass in the name of the Lord.”

The form conveying the power of absolution is later by three hundred years, but was alluded to in the shape of a prayer. In a Pontifical of Mayence of the thirteenth century, however, it occurs, “ Receive the Holy Ghost, whose sins ye remit,” & c., and in a Pontificalof Rouen, about thenext century,

The laying on of hands and prayer, with the delegation of ministerialorder, constituting the essential and necessary form and matter of Ordination, it remains to consider the Divine vocation, and the results of Ordination . It is a sanctification of the person to do certain offices of religion, as in the case of Jeremiah Jer. i. 5 ],and St. John Baptist (Luke i. 15 ], and also the imparting of grace to make the person meet to perform the same. The change of name adopted by St. Pauland St. Peter after their ordination expresses significantly the change of condition, the new honour sanctified by God. But, as St. Jerome says, “ Let every one prove himself and so come;

ecclesiasticalorder does not make a Christian ” [ad Heliodor. Ep. v.al. 1 ]. The Candidate is to be called to a high dignity and a weighty office and charge, to be a messenger, watchman,and steward of the Lord . He is to be a worker together with God (2 Cor. vi. 1 ),and giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed ; approving himself in all things as the minister ofGod. He is to be one of that order, of whom it is said , that “ he that heareth ” them heareth Christ (Luke x, 16 ], he is to be God's witness (Luke xxiv.47, 487, to have power over allthe power of the enemy (Luke x.

19 ), and to exercise a most solemn delegation [John xx. 23 ). But he has also to show by his deeds rather than by name what his pro fession is, and to apply himself wholly to one thing,the priesthood of the atonement and the ministry of reconciliation ; to be one set apart by themost impressive vow atGod's altar ; to forsake all worldly cares and studies,and to sanctifyand fashion his life after the rule and doctrine of Christ ; to be a wholesome and godly example and pattern for the people to follow . He, like Moses and Joshua [Exod. iii. 5 . Josh . v. 15 ), is bidden to a nearer access to God than the people [Exod .xxiv.

13, 14]. And who is sufficient for these things ? for, as St. Chrysostom argues, from Lev. iv. 3 – 13 ; xxi. 17, and Luke xii.47, as the fault of coming short of God 's will is greater in His minister, so a more horrible punishment of neglect will ensue: he wants a great soul and a thousand eyes on every side. [Hom . iii. in c. i. Act.; xxvi. in c. viii.Matt. ;deSacerd. 1. vi. c.xi.] The Candidate when ordained will have need of learning, for,as Bishop Jeremy Taylor observed , an ignorantminister is a head without an eye; he requires to be a feeder (1 Pet. v.

2 ], a leader [John x. 4 ], an oracle (Mal. ii. 7 ], sober, grave, affable, firm , patient, long-suffering, kind, unwearied, zealous, and undaunted ( 2 Cor. vi. 1 - 10 ], " never ceasing labour,care,and diligence (Acts xx. 2. 1 Thess. ii. 17] until hehas done all that lies in him , according to his bounden duty, to bring allsuch as are committed to his charge unto that agreement in the faith and knowledge ofGod, and to that ripe. ness and perfectness of age in Christ, that there be no place left among them either for error in religion or for viciousness in life.” The Candidate for the Diaconate professes his trust that he is inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon him that office and ministration, and the Candidate for the Priesthood, that he thinks in his heart thatheis truly called ,according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Any state of life is said to be that to which God is pleased to call us [Catechism ], and St. Theophylact renders tñ kanoel ( 1 Cor. vii. 17 - 20 ], as ev olo Biq kal év olo táyuatı kal Toucteúpati. Vocation is twofold : [ I. ] Extraordi, nary, when God calls men (1) immediately, as was Moses ; (2) or by means and intervention of a prophet, as Elisha ; (3) before the existence of an Order of Ministers, as Aaron and the tribe of Levi; (4) after the institution of a Ministry, as Samuel and Elias, the Twelve [ John vi. 70 ], and the Seventy, St.

Mat. thias, St. Paul ( 1 Cor. i. 1. 2 Cor. i. 1. Eph. i. 1. Col. i. 1. Gal. i. 1. Rom . i. 1 ], and St. Barnabas : and [11.] Ordinary, when men calland appoint a Minister in the Church according to the law prescribed by God, as were the Aaronic Priests and Levites ; Titus and Timothy, Priests and Deacons of the Apos tolical Churches, and now the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons of the Church . But the secret voice of the Holy Ghost does invite individuals (1 Cor. ii. 11. Jer. xi. 20 ; xvii. 10 ); on the one hand,Moses hesitated to accept, on the other, Isaiah sought to receive, a mission, and the Apostle declares that the desire to become a Minister is good ( 1 Tim .

iii. 1]. St. Augustine says, when Mother Church desires our work, “ nec elatione avida sus. cipiatis nec blandiente desidia respuatis sed miti corde obtem peretis Deo" [Ep. xlviii.). “ Theywho camenot were sent,” says St. Jerome, " for He saith, they came, and I did not send them . In those who came is the presumption of rashness, in those who are sent the obedience of service ” [Prol. in Comm . in St.Matt.). The natural sense of men required a holy entrance on the Priesthood [Demosthenes contr. Androtion . Plato de Leg. l. vi. $ vii.], and the Canonical impediments were read over to the Candidate in the Church during many centuries.

“ The evenest line ofmoderation in suits after spiritual functions which may be as ambitiously forborne as prosecuted, is not to follow them withoutconscience,norof pride to withdraw ourselvesutterly from them .” The presence of earthly motives, such as desireof honour, wealth , and reputation, is utterly at variance with a Divine call. « The simple eye” [Matt. vi. 22, 23], “ a good intention to. wardsGod, is a sign of its existence" [St. Chrysost., Hom . v. in 1 Tim . i. 8 ], as the one end sought is doing His work to His honour, a id setting forward tho salvation of all men, out of a p. 540 Ord.

; Calvin de Exter. Med. ad Sal. I. iv. c. iii. & 11]. It is not said to the Candidate, “ Have you such an inward perception of such a Divine impulse, that you can distinguish it from all other inward movements by its manner of impressing you ?” but, “ Do you trust that you are on good grounds persuaded that you have a Divine call, that is, from your serious preparation, your honest intention, your sacred resolution to discharge the duties of the office which you seek ?" There is required of necessity no inward, secret, sensible testimony of God's blessed and sanctifying Spirit to a man's soul, nor any strong working of the Spirit of illumina tion ;

suffice it that there be inclination of nature, personalabili ties, and care of education, without any extraordinary assistance of the Holy Ghost. [ See Sanderson, iv. Serm . § 32.] “ Here is now that glass wherein thou must behold thyself, and discern whether thou have the Holy Ghost within thee or the spirit of theflesh ofman. See that thy works be virtuous and good ,conso nant to the prescript rule of God's word, savouring and tasting not ofthe flesh ,but of the Spirit, then assure thyself that thou art endued with the Holy Ghost ” [Homily on Whitsun -day ]. The only sure preservative for such a devotion of life and thought to the work of the Ministry as will ensure its accomplishment, is the perpetualmemory of Him Who gave the commission to per form it, of the end for which it was given, and the account we must one day render to theGreat Shepherd of the Sheep.

The distinction between Clergy and lay persons is asserted by St. Chrysostom [in Ps. cxii. v. 19,84], Tertullian [de Præsc. Hær. c. xli.; de Monog. xi. ; de Fuga xi.], St. Ambrose [de Dign. Sacerd. c. ii.], St. Cyprian [ Ep. lix. ad Com .], and St. Jerome (adv. Lucif.]. The designation Clergy,kîpos, a lot | or inheritance, as in the suffrage “ Bless Thine inheritance " [Ps. xvi. 15 ; lxxiii. 26 ], is another illustration of the analogy subsisting between the Aaronic and Christian Priesthood (Numb. xxviii. 20. Deut. xviii. 1, 2. St. Jerome, Ep. xxxiv. ad Nepot.], whilst there is also a reference to the circumstance of God overruling the lots in the case of St.

Matthias, the first | minister ordained by the Apostles (Acts i. 26 . St. Aug., Enarr. in Ps. lxvii. 19. Isidore, Orig . l. vii. c. xii. ; de Off. Eccles. 1. ii. c. 1 ]. Theword àpopiouds, severance, setting apart, founded on Acts xiï . 2, is also used as a synonym for ordination [Bever. Serm . ii., On the Church ]. This distinction rests upon the impression of the indelible Ecclesiasticalmark or character,the “ charisma certum veritatis," as Irenæus terms it contr. Hær. l. iv. c. xxvi. & 2 ], or as St. Augustine, “ Sacramentum Ordinationis suæ ” [de Bono Conj. c. | xxviii.; contr. Donatist. 1.

i. c. 1, § 2 ; contr. Ep. Parmen. l. ii. c. xii.]. The samedoctrine is stated by Bishop Jeremy Taylor [Episc. Assert. s. xii. xxxi. 3], Archbishop Potter [Church Gov. ch . v.], Prideaux (Validity, & c., p. 25), Hooker (Eccles. Pol. b. v. c. lxxvii. & 3], Mason (de Min . Anglic. I. ii. c. xi. $ 6 ], and Bingham (Orig. Eccles. b . xvii. c. ii. & 57. It is that of the canon law ,“ Si quis clericus relicto officii suiordinelaicam voluerit agere vitam vel semilitiæ tradiderit, excommunicationis pæna feriatur " [Conc. Turon . A.D . 461, c. v.]. “ Sanctorum decus honorum qua libet fuerit occasione perceptum manebit omnibus inconvulsum ” (VIII.

Conc. Tolet. A.D. 653, c. vii.]. “ Ordo characterem , i. e., spirituale quoddam signum a cæteris distincturum imprimit in animâ indelebile ” [ Decr. Eugen . ad Armen. Conc. Flor. A.D. 1439. Comp. Conc. Trident. Sess. xxiii. A .D. 1563, c. iv.]. The Canonists use similar expressions [St. Thom . P. iii. qu. 63. Estius in Sent.Comm. I. iv.dist. i. $ 20. Becanus, Ib. 21; and Lyndewood,Walterus,sub.quæst. Prov. Angl. 1. i. tit.57, and our own Canons, “ Semelreceptus in Sacrum Ministerium ab eo im . posterum non discedet, nec se aut vestitu aut habitu aut in ulla vitæ parte geret pro laico" [Articuli, A.D . 1571), with which Canon Ixxvi.of 1604 concurs.

This principle is grounded on the analogy of the perpetuity of the priesthood, both of Melchi. sedec and the Jews, and the Apostles and Clergy of the Primitive Church ; on the enduring grace of Holy Baptism ; on the self. dedication for life to God ; on the fact that God has nowhere signified that the character willexpire before death ; on the actual unbroken tradition that re-ordination was a sacrilegious and sacred functionswas only suspended (cf.Ed. Rev. art. v. Jan. 1849). Holy Orders are notdenied, in a large sense of theword and in another nature, the name of a Sacrament,by the ninth Homily of the English Church ;

but, as being restricted to a class in the community, as lacking the promise of remission of sins, and not having any visible sign or ceremony ordained of Christ [Art. xxv.], and not being generally necessary to salvation, they are so called in an inferior sense to the two Sacraments of the Gospel. With this reservation, the Church of England regards Orders asa Sacrament, or rather as sacramental. The title of the Book of Common Prayer includes " administration of the Sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the Church.” The Rubric of 1549 provided that “ every parishioner shall communicate at the least three times in the year, and shall also receive the Sacraments and other rites according to the order of this Book appointed ."

Similar language is employed in the Act of Uniformity, 1 Eliz. c. ii.,and the Homilies, P. 1. “ On Common Prayer and Sacra ments :” “ Neither Orders nor any other Sacrament else be such Sacraments as Baptism and the Communion are ” (p. 316). Me lanchthon included Ordination among Sacraments [Loci Theol. tom . i. pp. 233, 234. Comp. Conf. Augsburg, pp. 29, 30 ). The greatest English Theologians,however, cautiously guard against any misapprehension of the term Sacrament, on the safe ground that the outward ceremony of breathing has been changed into laying on of hands; that the Form of Words is given “ as in the Person of Christ,” and not from ourselves;

and that the grace given is “ gratis data," not “ gratum faciens” (Bp. Andrewes, Serm . ix.] ; butthey still do not withhold the designation ofSacra ment, provided that it benot understood as a true or necessary Sacrament (Bp. Jewel, Treat. on Sacr., p. 1225. Def. of Apology, p. ii. p. 459. Archbishop Wake, Expos. of Doctrine, Art. xv, p. 46 . Calfhill, Ans. to Martiall, p. 229. Bp. Burnet, Vind. of Ord., p. 21. Archbishop Bramhall, Cons. of Bishops, disc. v. Crakanthorp, Def.Eccl.Angl. c.xxx. Bp.Beveridge on Art.xIv.). From the distinction existing between the clergy and laity is derived theword " Order ” [gradus Baouds, ordo ráfus ], the state to which the ministers ofGod areordained [ St.

Ambr.de Off.Min . lib . 1. c. viii. 25. St. August. de Civ. Dei, l. xix. c. 13. Gabriel Philad . c. ii. St. Leo, Ep. lxxxiv. c. 4. Bp. Jeremy Taylor, Episc. Assert. $ xxxi. 1. 3]. The words potestas, officium , honor, dignitas, åčía, åžíwua, locus, xápa, are also synonyms of ordo.

The Preface to the Ordinal sets forth the following statements and principles : I. The Three Ordersof the Ministry are Apostolical, and have ever been held in reverent estimation . II. That there are proper ages atwhich Orders should be con ferred. III. That there are proper times and places for ordination . IV. That the Candidates shall be duly tested as to character and qualifications. V. That there are indispensable rites and ceremonies ministered by a Bishop for ordination, public prayer with imposition of hands. I. If these three Orders be from the Apostles' times,they must be Divine. The Saviour, as High Priest upon earth, actually ordained His Apostles and seventy disciples as representing Priestsand Levites.

The first consecration of Apostles is referred to the Holy Ghost [Acts i. 24 ; xiii. 2 ], and the ordination of Deacon also, “ being full of the Holy Ghost ” (vi. 5 . ). The offices Bishops, Priests, and Deacons are quite clear in the New Testa ment; but distinct names for the three orders are not discernible at first until language permitted and circumstances demanded it. We find ordainers and persons ordained, and the names Bishops, Priests,and Deacons: even in the second century Presbyters were called Bishops, as overseers of a portion of the flock ; but in the third century Bishops are nowhere called Presbyters. The Apostolical fathers distinctly enumerate Bishops, Priests, and Deacons as severally distinct.

These orders, on the testimony of ancient authors, evidently existed at all times in Christ's Church, p. 541 and must therefore be perpetuated by lawful authority, that is, by Bishops, who alone have the power of ordaining, in order that they may continue and be reverently used and esteemed . II. The Canon Law defines thirty years to be the Canonical age for the reception of the Priesthood, but suffers the admission of the Candidate at twenty-five years of age. [ P . Dist. lxxvij . c. 1, ii. v.] Pope Zosimus, 417, enacted theages for Priesthood and the Diaconate to be respectively thirty and thirty-five years. [R .Maurus de Ord .

Antiph. c. xiii.] Pope Siricius, 385 - 98, requires the ages to be thirty- five and thirty (Ep. i. & ix.]. The Councils of Agde, A.D. 506, c.xvi.xvii. ; III. Carthage, A.D. 397, c. iv.; II. Toledo, A.D. 531, c. i., permitted the reception of the Diaconate at twenty-five years ; that of Melfi, A.D. 1089, at twenty-four, and the Priesthood at thirty years of age. The latter age is also prescribed by the old Saxon laws, and the Councils of Neo-Cæsarea, A.D . 314 , c. xi.; IV. Toledo, A.D . 633, C. XX. ; IV. Arles, A.D. 524, c. i., and Trullo, 691, c. xiv. The third Council of Ravenna, A.D.

1314, Rubr. ii., forbids Deacons to be made under twenty, or Priests below twenty-five years of age. The Council of Trent, Sess. xxii., A.D . 1563, c. xii., permits the ordination of Deacons at twenty-three, and of Priests at twenty-five years of age. In the Greek Church the age for a Deacon is twenty -five (that for Levites in the Jewish Church ], for a Priest thirty years [Sym . Thess. C. v. Assemanni, P. iv. p. 169]. The latter age is so often prescribed because atit our Lord began His ministry. [St. Luke iii. 23. Excerp. Ecgbert, 750. Epist. c. xcv. St. Aug., Ep. xxxix. ad Theoph.] In the Ordinal of 1552, theage for the Diaconate was twenty -one, that ofthe Roman Sub-diaconate ;

which is still allowed in the Ameri can Church (1832) and Scottish Church (1838),twenty-four years of age being required in the candidate for the Priesthood. In 1584, Archbishop Whitgift required twenty-four years of age full in the candidate for orders (Cardw., Doc. Ann , No. xcix.]. In the Apostolical Constitutions the age for a Bishop is at least fifty years [lib.ii.c. 1 ], and Pope Boniface, in the eighth century, alludes to this rule ; by Justinian [Novell. Constit. 123, c. 1 ] it is fixed at thirty -five, but in Novell. cxxxvii. c. 2, at thirty ; by Siricius and Zosimus forty-five (Theod. H . E . 1. ii.

c. 26 ] ; but in the Greek Church it is probable that in the cases of St. Athanasius, Gregory Thaumaturgus, Athenodorus [Euseb. H . E . lib. vi. c. 30 ), Acholius [Ambros. Ep. 1x.], Paul (Soc. H . E .lii. c. 5 ], and in the Western Church, Remigius of Rheims, who are all spoken of as young men, a lower age was sometimes accepted. By the Act 3 Eliz. c. xii. & v. vii., a Priest was required to be of twenty -four years of age, which is confirmed by the XXXIV. Canon of 1603,and by the present rubric : and the Canonicalage for the Diaconate is fixed at twenty-three years, unless he have a faculty, that is, a licence, or dispensation from the Archbishop of Canterbury, given to persons of extraordinary abilities,by virtue of the Act 44 George III.

c. xliii. c. 1,which confirmed the right hitherto held by the Primates [21 Hen . VIII. c.xxi. $ 3]. Mar. tene furnishes several instances of ordination before the canonical age de Ant. Rit. Eccl. 1. i. c. viii. Art. ii. & 47. Archbishops Sharp and Ussher, and Bishops Bull and Jeremy Taylor, and Ven . Bede were all ordained Priests before the age of twenty four years. And themonks of Westminster had the privilege of ordination to the Priesthood at twenty-one years of age. The Deacon must continue in the office of a Deacon the space of a whole year [“ at the least," 1552),except for reasonable causes it shall otherwise seem good unto the Bishop (his ordinary, 1552], to the intent he may be perfect and well expert in the things appertaining to ecclesiastical administration.

An interval has alwaysbeen required between ordination totheDiaconate and to the Priesthood [St.Greg. Naz., Orat.xxi. 87 ; St. Hier., Ep. xxxv. ad Heliod.; St. Cyprian, Ep. lv. p. 103 ; Leo, Ep.lxxxv.c.i.; Decret. P . i.dist. lxxviii. c.ii.]. The Councils of Barcelona, 599, c. iii.; Dalmatia, 1199, c. ii.; Bourdeaux, 1024, c. vi. n . iii., and Trent, Sess.xxii.1563,c.xiv.,prescribeone year's service in theDiaconate; Zosimus [Ep. i. c. ii.], and Siricius [Ep.i. c. ix .],and Canon Law [Decr. i. dist. lxxvii. c. ii.iii.7, five years; and the Council of Con stantinople (870, Act. x. C.v.xvii.],and Hormisdas.[Ep. xxv. c.i.] three years, and for the Priesthood, fouryears. By theold English | Pontifical: “ Inhibemusquod nullus Ordinem recipiat Diaconatus nisi fuerit ætatis viginti annorum , Presbyteratus viginti quatuor, et vicesimum quintum attigerit.”

[Lacy's Pontifical, p.78.] III. By the XXXI. Canon , the place of ordination is defined to be the Cathedral or the Parish Church wherethe Bishop resideth, " and the ordination is to take place in presence of the Arch . | deacon, the Dean, and the two Prebendaries, at the least, or four grave persons, being M .A . at the least, and allowed to be preachers." The ordination is to take place “ in the face of the Church ;" and the Church is best represented by the Cathedralof the Diocesan who ordains. Bishops were absolutely interdicted from holding ordinations, except within their own dioceses, by the Apost. Can.

C. XXXV. ; I. Council of Nicæa, c. xv. ; I. Con stantinople, c. ii.; Antioch , c. xiii. xxii.; I. Tours, 461, c. ix. ; III.Orleans,538, c.xv., and Aix, 789,c. xi. As early as 1538, the X . Article says : “ Docemus quod nullus ad ecclesiæ Ministerium vocatus,etiamsi Episcopus sit,hoc sibi jure divino vindicare possit, ut ullam Ecclesiasticam functionem in alienâ diæcesi exercere valeat, hoc est nec Episcopus in alterius dicecesi, etc.” ($ xiii.] The Bishop at ordination is seated in a chair near the Holy Table, as the Candidates,according to Simeon of Thessalonica and Dionysius and Theodoret, were also ordained in the Sanctuary [Hist. Eccles. p. 166 ;

Morin , P. ii. p.47. 106 ], and the Greek Euchologium has a similar rubric, " The High Priest sitteth in front of the Holy Table on a little throne" [Goar, p. 292 ]. Amalarius also mentions that the Deacons and Priests received ordination before the Altar (de Div.Off. 1. ii. c. vi.). The Councils of Rouen , 1581, and Bourdeaux, 1624,require the ordinations to be made at the High Altar, and the IV. Council of Milan, that they should be held in the principal church of a town, if not in , the cathedral, in both places reinforcing the decree of the Council of Trent (Sess.xxiii. c. viii.]. IV .

The appointment of times for ordination is the public demand ofthe Church in the nameof the Lord Himself, “ Whom shall I send ,and who shall go for Us ?” (Isa. vi. 8.] There are | besides the vocation and voluntary offer of the Candidate, two solemn preliminaries, examination by the Bishop and Clergy [ Theophilus of Alexandria in Can. vi. A post. Const. lii. c. 28, | 1. viii. c. 16 . St. Cyprian , Ep. xxxviii. lxvii. Posidonius in Vit. Aug. c.xxi. IV. Counc. Carthage, 398, c. xxii.], and the testi. mony of thepeople. The former is enforced by St.Paul himself; by St. Chrysostom de Sacerd. liv. c.

ii.; St. Cyprian ad Cler., I Ep.xxix. ; by Gregory I.ad Adeod., Ep. xlix. I. ii .; Siricius, Ep. iii. c. i.; the Canon Law , Decret. P . i. dist. lxxxi. c. iv.; Theo | philus Alex., Comm. in Can.vi.; Theophylact in 1 Tim . c. v., and these Councils— Nicæa, c. ix. ; Aix, 789, c. ii.; Besiers, 1233, c. vi.; Lateran, 1215, c.xxvii.; VIII. Toledo,653, c. viii.; Canon Arabici, 325, c. xii. The English Church has always observed the same rule. [Councils of Cloveshoe, 747, c. vi. Cealchythe, 787, c. vi. Oxford, 1222, de Ordin ., and 1322.; Lambeth, 1330, c.vi. ; Lyndewood, Prov.I. i.tit. v.vi.,and App.

p. 17,and Council of London, 1557, tit. de qual. ordin.] For this cause, and to prevent uncanonical intrusions, Bishops were forbidden to ordain clerks out of their own diocese, unless with the consent and letters of the Diocesan. [Councils of London , 1175 , c. v. ; III. Orleans, 538, c. vi.; Sardica, 347, c. xv.; III. Carthage, 397, c. xxi. ; IV . Carthage, 398 , c. xxvii.; II. Braga, 563, c. viii. ; Mayence, 888, c. xiv. ; Rouen , 1050, c. ix.; Lucca, 1308, c. xvi. ; Rheims, 1564, c. viii. ix. ; Cambray, 1565, c. x.; Bourges, 158 , c. iii. ; and Trent. Sess. xxiii., 1563, de Reform .

c. vii.] Nor may one Bishop ordain the Clerk of another without Letters di. missory from the latter granting his permission and sanction [XXXIV . Canon, 1603, Lyndew . Prov. 1. i. tit. iv. pp. 27. 32. Cardw . Doc. Ann. ii. 322. 356 .420 ]. Wednesday appearsto have been theusualday for the commence ment of the examination, and three days are sometimes pre scribed for it (Council of Nantes, c. xi. ; Decret. P. i. dist. xxiv. c. v.]. Three points are insisted upon in the Canon Law - canoni. cal age, sufficient knowledge, and virtuous conversation . The | Bishop himself has the chief position in the examination, then the Archdeacon, the Dean and two Prebendaries of the Cathedral Church (Canon xxxi.

xxxv. 1603], and his own Chaplains, of p. 542 two additional, and the Archbishop four, to assist him in ordination . “ Grave and expert men ” are required to aid him in this work by Gregory I. [Ep. xiix. 1. iii. ind. xi.]. The Council of Nantes, 900, c. xi., appoints Priests attached to his person, and other prudent men, well skilled in the Divine law ,and instructed in Ecclesiastical rule. Three examiners at least are appointed by the Council of Toledo, 1473,c.xi., and by othersoflaterdate three; in allusion, doubtless, to the Scripturalrule (Deut. xix. 15 ]. The English rule, says Bp. Stillingfleet in 1681, was to have four. The examiners are to require virtuous conversation and suffi.

cient knowledge of Latin and the Holy Scriptures. The old rubrics ran thus: “ Nullus ordinetur nisiexaminacio præcedat." (Lacy's Pon tifical, p. 75.] “ Postea fiant inhibitionesin generalibusordinibus et Episcopo placuerit. In virtute Spiritus Sancti inhibemus sub pæna anathematis ne quis se ingerat ordinandum nisi prius examinata persona, cum titulo intitulatus fuerit et vocatus. Nequis etiam mortalis peccati conscius vel excommunicatus aut suspensus ordines recipiat. Item nullus alterius diæcesis, nisi literas dimissoriashabuerit.” [Lacy's Pontifical, p. 77.] The Canon Law required that diligent inquiry should be made into the life, age,title, and place of education of the Candidate; whether he waswell learned, instructed in the law of the Lord , and, above all, if he firmly held the Catholic faith , and could express it in simple words [Decret.

P . i. dist. xxiv. c. v.]. But besides these requirements, a long list of canonicalimpediments, such as irregularity, i. e. bodily deformity, illegitimacy, and the like, offered hindrance to the reception of a Candidate. But all the Canonsof the Church require him to bewithout crime [ Prov . Lyndew. lib. i. tit. iv. v. vi., App. 16 , 17; Counc. of Chichester, 1216 ; Exeter, 1287, c. viii.; IV . Carthage, 398, c. lxvii. lxviii. ; Epaon, 517, c. iii. ; III. Orleans, 538, c. vi.; Agde, c. xliii. ; Nicæa, c. x. ; IV. Toledo, 663, c. xix.; Canon. Apost. c. xviii.]. St. Cyprian says, that in accordance with the Divine law (Exod .

xxi. 21 ; xix. 22 ; xxviii. 43), Priests and Deacons should be morally whole and without blemish [Ep. lxxii. Stephano), and, as St. Augustine well says, St. Paul, when he chose Priests and Deacons, saith not, “ Ifanybewithout sin ;" for had he said this, every man would be rejected, none would be ordained , but he s'ith, “ If any be without crime, such asmurder, adultery, any uncleanness, fornication, theft, cheatery, sacrilege, and the like." [ Tract. xli. in St. Joam . c. viii.] The knowledge of letters is required by the I. Council of Rome, 465, c. ii. ; Lucca, 1308, c. xxxiv. ; II. Orleans, c.

xvi. ; and Canon Law Decr. P. i. dist. xxxvi. c. i. ix. x. xiv. ; and Novell. Just. cxxiii. tit. xv. c. xii. ; and of Latin by the Councils of Genoa, 1274, c. 25, and Toledo, 1473, c. iii., and London, 1571, c. i. St. Paul required a man to be apt to teach, and to be distinguished from the unlearned ( 1 Cor.xiv. 16 ]. Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures is insisted upon by St. Jerome [Comm . in Agg. c. ii.), Councils of Nantes, 900, c. xi.; IV. Toledo, 633, c. xxv. ; and Canterbury, 1525; while at the present time, knowledge of Greek is considered in dispensable in Candidates, and Hebrew is sometimes required The concurrence of the people, or rather their testimony, is required,as the Levitical Priests were presented to the congrega tion (Exod.

xxix. 4 ) ; and seven men “ of good report ” were the first Deacons [Acts vi. 3 ]. In the Primitive Church, a proclamation of the Candidates, an diikhpušis, or prædicatio, was always used (Lampridius, c. xly. Council of Chalcedon, A.D . 451]. A “ Si quis ” is now read out in the parish Church of the Candidate beforeordination,and letters testimonial from his College,or three beneficed Clergymen, are necessary. An appeal is alsomade to the congregation, whether they know any notable crime, or canonical impediment, in accordance with the rule of the Old English Church [Excerp. Ecgberti, c. xcix .]. In the early Church, the people gave their approbation, or consent, or expressed their rejection of theunworthy by exclaiming"Ačios,or åváčios [Const.

Apost. I. viii. c. iv.; St. Ambros. de Dign . Sacerd. c. v. ; Euseb . H . E . lib. vi. c.xxix. xlii.]. There was no election by the people, except in the case of the seven Deacons (and of them because made stewards of the common stock of the Church), and when no share in the matter of choice,but reference was made to them , as by St. Peter at the consecration of St. Matthias. Yet whilst Bishops reserved to themselves the absolute and inherent right of acceptance or rejection [Decret. P . i. dist. Ixiii. c. viii. ; Posid. in Vit. Aug. c. iv.], they wisely, when the gift of discerning of spirits was withdrawn,asked for the testimony of the Clergy and people (not the people only), amongst whom the Candidate had lived, to his virtuous conversation [St.

Cypr., Ep. xxxviii. ; St. Jerome, Ep. xcv. ad Rust.; Siricius, Epist. i. c. x.; Leo, i. Ep. lxxxix. $ 3 ; III. Council Carthage, 397, c. xxii.; IV . Carthage, | 398, c. xxii.; and the ancient Sacramentaries and Pontificals]. If any crimewas then objected (Apost. Can. c. lxi.) the ordina tion was deferred ,and the accuser examined strictly within three months. If he failed to offer sufficient proof, if a clerk, he was degraded, and if a layman, adequately punished (Novell. Just. Const. cxxxvii. p. 408]. But the ordainer was not to take the accusation without proof [Conc. Chalc. c. xxi.], and no excom municate person, or one not a communicant,was allowed to be heard [Conc.

Constant. c. vi.]. Damasus, in 367, required the accuser to put in a caution that in default ample atonement to the sufferer might be made by him (Epist. iv. c. vii.], and the Canon Law forbade the delivery of the Holy Communion to a false accuser from that day forth (Decret. P. ii. Caus. ii. qu. iii. c. iv.]. In all rituals the congregation are desired to unite in prayer for the Candidates. V. Our blessed Lord as the Chief Bishop and Great High Priest chose and ordained (St. John xv. 16 ] the Apostles and the Seventy Disciples, the first Bishops and Priests of His Church. After His Ascension, St.

Matthias was elected by God (Prov. xvi. 33], and the Twelve were endowed with the miraculous power of discerning spirits, knowing men 's hearts, whether they were sincere and spiritually minded (1 Cor.xii. 10], by prophecy, that is,by the Holy Ghost, says Theophylact [in 1 Tim . i. 18 ), and St. Chrysostom [Hom . v. in 1 Tim . i.], by ordinance of the Spirit, according to (Ecumenius [in 1 Ep.ad Tim . iv.], by Divine reve. lation, as Theodoret explains (in 1 Tim . i.], or as Clement of Alexandria asserts of St. John, that he ordained Bishops and Clergy out ofsuch as were signified by the Spirit (Euseb.

iii. 23 ]. But as this heavenly gift died with the Apostles, St. Paul laid down rules for the fitness of Candidates to St. Timothy and Titus, and as St. Clement says, “ The Apostles knew from our Lord Jesus Christ that there would be a strife touching the name of Bishops. For this cause, having a perfect foreknowledge, they established Bishops and Deacons, and a rule of future succession, that after their decease others approved [by the Holy Ghost] might receive their ministry ” (ad Corinth. $ xliv.]. This succes. sion is that of Bishops. The Jewish Priesthood was hereditary, adapted to the circum stances of a temporal dispensation, and a people forbidden com munication with other nations.

But the Church has a spiritual ministry, is one and Catholic,designed to bring all countries into the one fold, under one Shepherd, and to last even unto the end of the world . The Chief Bishop was born of the royal tribe, not of that of Levi, a Priest after the order of Melchisedec, not of Aaron . Therefore her “ succession is not limited to a lineage, or her ministries assigned to a single family, but from every tribe, , and people, and language, those whom Divine choice approves as fit and worthy, she constitutes Priests, not on themerits of birth, but of worth ” [St. Cypr. de Unct.

Chrism .]. The best of every nation she presses into her service (Const. Apost. I. vi. c. xxiii.]. Simony,heresy,schism ,orany othergrievous sin,will nothinder the effect of the laying on of the hands of the Ordainer [Art. xxvi. Glossa Decret. P . ii., c. i. qu. 1, c. xvii.], just as under the Law | bodily blemishes did debar the Priest from offering the “ Bread of God ” (Lev .xxi. 17 ], yet did not cut off the entail, interrupt the succession, or disentitle his sons from theinheritance of the Priest hood. Moses,appointed by extraordinary commission from God, consecrated Aaron as High Priest, and Aaron 's sons as Priests [Ps.

xcix. 6. Exod. xxix. 30. Lev. viii.]. Aaron continued the succession (Heb. v. 4 . Numb. viii. 11. 13]. When the Apostles received the gift of the Priesthood (1 Pet. ii. 25 . Luke xxii. 29. p. 543 John xx. 22], they by Divine appointment divided the Ministry into such degrees and orders as were necessary to the govern inent and comeliness of the Church. They, having con secrated Bishops ( 1 Tim . iv. 14. 2 Tim . i. 6 . Tit. i. 45), either ordained Priests Acts xiv .237,or desired Bishops to ordain such, reserving the plenitude of power,which is the peculiar and special endowment of the Episcopate ;

and also ordained Deacons[Acts vi. 6 ]. It must be observed that there are only two exceptional instances,those of St. Pauland St. Barnabas,ordained by teachers and prophets [Acts xiii. 1 ] ; but theone wasmiraculously called to be an Apostle (Gal. i. 12. 15 . 17 ),and the otherwas sent out by the collective Church [Acts xi. 22. 30 ; xii. 25 ], and the Consecration is expressly referred to an extraordinary call by the Holy Ghost [Acts xiii. 2 ]. The great charter, bestowing the exclusivepower of Ordination upon Bishops, lay in the words of the Redeemer to the Apostles, “ AsMy Father hath sent Me, even so send I you ;"

as Bishopsare the successors ofthe Apostles,so the Church has always kept this rule without break or doubtfulness. In the Eastern Church, the essential power of Ordination has always been reserved to Bishops exclusively,and it was not until the fourth century that theAfrican Church permitted Priests to lay on their hands with the Bishops in the Ordination of Priests : nor after this rule was adopted by the Western Church,is there any example in ecclesiastical history of ordination by any but Bishops only,as their proper and peculiar function confirmed by the ancient Apostolical Canons and Con stitutions, by the Councils of Ancyra, Antioch, c. ix., Sardica, c. xix., Alexandria, Nicæa, c.

xix., Chalcedon, c. xi., VI. Trullo, c. xxxvii., Constantinople, Orange, II. Orleans, c. iii., Braga, c. iii., Cealchythe, c. vi., Dalmatia, c. ii., and Seville, c. vi.; by the tes timonies of the fathers, St. Athanasius (II. Apol. c. Athan.), St. Chrysostom (in Phil., hom . i., in 1 Tim . iii.], St. Augustine [de Hær. c. lii.], St. Epiphanius, St. Jerome [Epist. ad Evang. ci.], St. Cyprian [Ep.xli.], Cornelius, Dionysius ; by the acts of primi. tive Bishops,and by every sacramentary and ritual [Decret. P. i., dist.lxvii.]. On the other hand, Ordinations by Priests only were constantly declared to be null and void , and to communicate Presbyterian Ordination was affirmed to be heresy by the united voice of Christendom ;

and, as Bp. Hall says, “ that Pres. byter would have been a monster among Christians, that should have dared to usurp it." The Catholic doctrine has ever been that without Sacraments there is no Church,andwithout Bishops there can beno Priests,and consequently no Sacraments. There is not one instance in Holy Scripture or ecclesiastical history, of Ordination by Presbyters only ; it was the prerogative of Bishops, and therefore the present rubric (1662) declares that “ no man shallbe accounted or taken to be a lawful Bishop, Priest, orDeacon, or suffered to execute any of thesaid functions,excepthe be called, tried, examined ,and admitted thereunto,according to the Form hereafter following, or hath had formerly Episcopal consecration or ordination.”

Priests of the Western and Eastern Church, on conforming to her discipline and doctrine, are therefore admitted at once to minister in the churches of England ; and in the Office of Consecration of Bishops, in 1662, the question was significantly added : “ Archbishop : Will you be faithful in ordaining , sending, or laying hands on others ? Answer : I will so be,by the help of God.” The special powers ofthe Bishop lie in the right to ordain, to consecrate personsand things, to administer Confirmation, and in jurisdiction ; just as the Diaconate does not possess the privilege of the Priesthood, to consecrate the Holy Eucharist, to absolve, to preach ,and ordinarily, to baptize.

The Priesthood, however, have an important part in Ordination of Priests and Deacons, for their testimony is required before the acceptance of a candidate, their aid in his examination, and their presence at the laying on of hands. Where the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery is mentioned by St. Paul ( 1 Tim . iv. 14], the Presbytery (a word sometimes used in the sense of an order) has been understood by St. Chrysostom , Theodoret, Ecumenius, Theophylact, Suicer, and all the best commentators,ancient and modern , to designate the College of Bishops ; and this giftwhich is said to have been given by the laying on of their hands, is in the Second Epistle [c.

i.6 ] said to have been given by thelaying on of the Apostles'hands, so that theutmost that could bemade of the passage, even in conjunction with the Carthaginian Canon , would be, that Priests sometimes imposed their hands, together with an Apostle or Bishop . But St. Timothywas a Bishop [1 Tim . v. 22], and nowhere have we an example of Priests ordaining a Bishop ; and the Councilof Carthage, reserving the ordination of Deacons to the Bishop solely, only required the presence of the Priests (who were enjoined to be silent), in order to add solemnity to the Ordination, and to preclude the admission of unworthy or unfitting personsto the Priesthood.

Even this canon was not in harmonywith ancient practice, although it rightly per. | mitted the Bishop aloneto bless the person ordained . A remark able use of prepositions in the passage of the Epistle to Timothy just cited,must also be noted. In the case of St. Paul it is did, through, bymeansof,laying on ofmyhands,but in the case of the Presbytery," jetà,together with : onewas instrumental,the other assistant. 1 The Ephesian Presbytery after all were the “ elders of the Church ” of Ephesus, whom St. Paul says " the Holy Ghost had made Bishops over the flocks” [Acts xx. 17. 28]. The third Council of Carthage, held only one year before that which per mitted Priests to assist, laid down this canon [c.

xlv.] : “ Epis copus unus esse potest per quem dignatione Divina Presbyterimulti constitui possunt;" and, to avoid any doubt, the Epistle, 1 Tim . | iii., was transferred from the Ordering of Priests to the Conse | cration of Bishops, in 1662. The Catholic Church has ever held this doctrine, that true ministrations of grace depend on Episcopal ministries, and has always regarded all other ministries, whether assumed to be conferred by Presbyters, undertaken at will, or bestowed by a call from the congregration, to bewholly invalid . Luther, Knox, and Wesley were but Priests, Whitfield a Deacon, Calvin a Subdeacon , and others mere laymen ; every mission by their hands is therefore absolutely null and void , according to Scriptural authority, Apostolical practice, and the unbroken tradition of eighteen centuries.

Those only who have Epis copal orders of Bishop, Priest, or Deacon, in the Western and Eastern Churches (including also now that of America ), accord ing to the XXIII.and XXVI. Articles of ourChurch,minister the | Word of God, and His Sacraments, in Christ's name, and by His commission and authority. All othersmust be actually ordained, whether of previous Presbyterian or congregational nomination , on conforming to the Church ; as in 1661, four teachers of the former in Scotland were first ordained Deacons and Priests, and then , on Dec. 15, Bishops of the Scottish Church (Wood A . O . Fasti iv. 321]. A Roman or Greek Subdeacon is regarded as a layman.

In some cases of the Superior or Major orders an imposition of hands“ non -ordinativa sed reconciliatoria ” hasbeen used . One of the earliest declarations from authority after the Reformation, against orders conveyed by Presbyters, of the year ! 1585, may be seen in Cardwell, Doc. Ann. No. cii. As the chief magistrate is the fountain of honour in the State, so in the Church the Bishop is the chief in the Christian polity, a prince in the spiritual commonwealth, with the sole power of Ordination, and distribution of grades and offices, and degrees of ministry ; and the reservation of this power to the Episcopate is a visible symbol of the unity of the One Catholic and Apostolic Church.

There is but one Spirit of grace, though there are diversities of gifts and operations. In 1549, the necessity of lawful admission by the Bishop was asserted in the Preface to the Ordinal, and this lawful admission, in the X . Article of 1538, is reproduced in the XXIII. of 1562 (“ Non licet," it is not lawful byGod's law, & c.), and is clearly expressed, “ Docemus quod nemo debeat publice docere aut Sacramenta ministrare nisi rite voca tus et quidem ab his penes quos in Ecclesia juxta verbum Dei ct leges et consuetudines uniuscujusque regionis jus est vocandi et admittendi.” [$ xiii.] Therefore in the Litany sheprays for the whole Catholic Church, for all Bishops, Priests,and Deacons;

for all Bishops, Pastors, and Curates, in her Collect for St. Peter's Day, and her prayer for the Church militant; and in the first, prayer for Ember Week supplications are offered without any limitation for the Bishops and Pastors of God's flock, all of one fold under one Shepherd.