The Diocesans Trial, Part 2 · Argument 13
13 Argument.
Those who had peerelesse power above others in ordination and jurisdiction, they were such as had preheminence and majority of rule over others. But the former is due to Bishops. Unlesse this singularity of power were yeelded, there would be as many schismes as Priests. Ergo. The assumption proved. Those who have a peculiar power of o…dination above others, they are in preheminence and power before others. But Bishops have, Ergo, they are in, &c. The assumption proved. That which was not in the Presbyters of Ephesus and Crete before Timothy and Titus were sent, but in the Apostles, and after in Timothy and Titus and their successours, that is a peculiar of Bishops. But ordination was not in the Presbyters, &c. Ergo. The assumption proved. That which these were sent to do…, Presbyters had not power to doe. It was therefore in them, and such as succeeded them, the Bishops of Ephesus and Crete▪ Againe, the Scriptures, Councels, Fathers, speake of the orde… nor as one. Ergo, it was the peculiar right of the Bishop, and the Bishop onelyonly. He onelyonly by Canon was punishable for irregularity in ordination. And Epiphanius maketh this the proper power of a Bishop to beget f…thers by ordination, a… the Presbyters doth sonnes by baptisme. And Ierom doth except ordination as the b…shops peculiar, wherein he is most unequall to them.
Answer.
I answer the proposition of the first syllog…sme by distinction. Those who have peerelesse power in regard of the simple right to ordeine: viz. in regard of exercising the act, and sole performing the rite of it, those who have a right to these things originally from Christ and his Apostles, which no others have, they are above others in degree. Againe, peerelesse power in a bish…p over Presbyters may be said in comparison to them distributively or collectively considered. He that hath peerelesse power given him, which no one of the other hath, is not presently of a greater degree, nor hath not majority of rule amongst others, as a Consul in the Senate: but if he have a peerel…e power, such as they all collectively considered, cannot controule, then the Proposition is true; but the Assumption will then be found to halt.
To the proofe of the assumption. The Proposition is true of power in order to the thing it selfe, not to ministring the rite, and executing the act, which m…y be reserved for honour sake to one, by those who otherwise have equall power with him. Tha… b…shops have this power in order, the thing it selfe agreeing to them, Vt proprii offuii, not by commission from others, we deny. The assumption is wholly denyed. As for the proofe of it. First, we that deny that Evangelists h…d not power to ordeine, as well as Apostles. Secondly, that Presbyters had not this power in a Church planted as well as they. Every one as fellow servants might conspire in the same ordination. The Ev…ngelists power did not derogate from the Apostles, the Pre…byters from neither of them. But power of imposing hands solitarily, whereas … Churches were not constituted, this may happily be appropriated to the Apostles and Evangelists, whose office it was to labour in erecting the frame of Churches. Secondly, the assumption is false; in denying that it was in the power of Presbyters to lay on hands, contrary to that in Timothy; The grace given thee by …aying … of the hands of the Presbytery. Thirdly, it is false, in presupposing others then Presbyters to have beene Timothy and Titus their successours. To the proofe of this assumption. The proposition is not true: For it might be convenient that the same th…ng should be done by Evangelists, and by ordinary Pastors, each concurring in their severall orders to the same service of Christ the Lord. Secondly, I answer to the assumption. That Presbyters were to be placed in Churches framed where there were Presbyters, or where there were as yet none. In the first Churcher' they are bid ordaine, if any need further, but salv… j…re Ecclesiae, not without the concurrence of others. In the latter Churches which were to be constituted, they may be conceived as Evangelists, with sole power of setting Presbyters forth by this rite of imposition of hands. We hold Apostles might doe it, Evangelists might, and the Presbyteries also. Yea, Presbyters in Alexandria when now their first Presbyter was d…ceased, did ordaine the following: For the Canon of three bishops, and Metropolitans, added by the Ni…ene Councell, was not knowne yet. Neverthelesse it grew timely to be restrained to bishops, the performing I meane of the outward rite and signe; but onelyonly by Canon, as Consignation was also, for which there is as ancient testimonies as this, that it was appropriate to the B…sh. We grant therefore that antiquity doth sometime speake of the ordainer as one. In the Churches of Affrica one did not lay on hands, yet in some other Churches the rite was by one administred. And it is to be noted by the way, that foreign in some Canons is not opposed to the Coordaining of Presbyters, but to the number of Three, or many bishops required in the ordination of a bishop. They might therefore by their Canons be punishable, because regularly and canonically the executing of it was committed to them. This is all that Epiphanius or Ierome excepta ordinatione can prove. But these two conclusions we would see proved out of scriptures and Fathers. First, that ordination is an action of power, of order, a power sacramentall, which a Presbyter hath not. Secondly, that by vertue of this power, the bishop doth ordaine, and not by Ecclesiasticall right or commission from the Church. Certainly, the act of promoting a minister of the Church, is rather an act of jurisdiction then order. As it belongeth to policy and government, to call new Magistrates, where they are wanting. Object. But a new spirituall officer may be instituted by a sacrament. Answ. If God would so have collated the grace of spirituall callings; but he hath appointed no such thing. The Apostles and 72. were not instituted by a sacrament or imposition of Christs hands. Now the greater the grace was which was given, the more need of a sacrament whereby it should be given. Object. They were extraordinary. Answ. They might have had some ambulatory sacrament for the time. Againe, imposition of hands was used in g…ving extraordinary graces, Acts 8. Secondly, were it a sacrament, it should conferre the grace of office, as well as grace sanctifying the person to use it hol…ly. But we see that this it could not do As for Paul and Barn…bas the Church did separate them at the command of God, and lay hands on them, and pray for them, but they were already before this, immediately chosen by God to the grace of their office. It could be nothing then but a gesture accompanied with prayer, seeking grace in their behalfe. For the sacramentall collating of grace sanctifying all callings, we have in these two sacraments of Christs institution. Thirdly, there are many kindes of imposition of hands in the old and new Testament, yet cannot it be proved, that it is any where a proper sacrament. It is then a rite, a gesture, a ceremony, signifying a thing or person separate, presented to God, prayed for to God. Thus Antiquity did thinke of it, as a gesture of one, by prayer to God, seeking a blessing on every one chosen to this or that place of ministery. So Ecclesiastically it was used in baptising, in consecrating, in reconciling penitents, as well as ordaining: but never granted as a sacrament in those other cases by grant of all. It is then a rite or gesture of one, praying. Tertul. de …pt. sheweth this saying, Manus imponitur per benedictionem advocans & invitans spiritum sanctum. Ierom also contra Luciferanos, Non ab…no, hanc esse Ecclesiae consuetudinem ut Episcopus manum impositutus excurrat ad invecationem spiritus sancti. Ambr. de d…gait. sacerdot. …dos imponit suppicem dexiram. August. Quid aliua est manus impositio quam oratio? &c. The Greeke Churches have ever given Orders by a forme of prayer conceived, with imposition of hands. Hence it is, that they imposed hands even on Deaconesses, where it could not be otherwise considered then a deprecative gesture. Neither is it like the African Fathers ever thought it a sacrament, which no other had vertue and power to minister, but the Bishop. For then they would never have admitted Presbyters to use the same rite with them. For so they had suffered them to prophane a sacrament, wherein they had no power to intermeddle. Object. If one say they did lay on hands with them, but the Bishops imposition was properly Consecrative and sacramentall, th…i… Dep…rative onelyonly. Answer. Besides that this is spoken without foundation, how absurd is it, that the very selfe-same sacramentall r…te should be a sacrament in one ministers hand, and no sacrament performed by another: Yea, when the Bishop doth it to a Presbyter, or Deacon, then a sacrament; when to a Subdeacon, and other inferiour officers, then none, let any judge. Austin did account no other of imposition of hands, then a prayer over a man, accompanied with that gesture. Secondly, they doe not thinke that the B…shop ordaineth by divine right, it being excepted to him as a minister of higher sacramentall power: but that he onelyonly doth ordaine quoad signum & ritu… extrinsecum, by the Churches commission, though the right of ordaining be in all the Presbytery also. As in a Colledge the society have right to choose a fellow, and to ordaine him also, though the master doth alone lay on hands, and give admission. Thus Ierom speaketh of confirmation, that it was reserved to the Bishop for honour sake, rather then any necessity of Gods law. Whence by analogie and proportion, it followeth they thinke not ordination, or those other Episcopall royalties to have beene reserved to him by divine right. Beside, there are more ancient proofes for C…nonicall appropriating confirmation, then for this imposition of hands. Corn…tus speaketh thus of Novatus, he wanted th…se things which he should have had after Baptisme, according to the Canon, the sealing of our Lord from a Bishop, Euseb. Lib. 6. cap. 25. So Cyprian to …ul. Neverthelesse, Ier…m judgeth this also to have beene yeelded them for honour sake. And we know that in the Bishops absence, Presbyters through the East did Consignare, through Grecia, through Armenia. Neither would Gregory the great have allowed Presbyters in the Greeke Churches to have confirmed, had he judged it otherwise then Canonically to belong to the bishops. T…t therefore which is not properly a sacramentall action, and that which is not appropriate to a bishop further then Presbyters h…ve committed it to him, that cannot make him in higher degree of ministery then Presbyters are.
Thirdly, in reconciling penitents; the Presbyters did it in case of the bishops absence: as is to be gathered from the third Councell of Cartiage, 32. And who thinkes blessing so appropriate to a bishop, that Presbyters may not solemnly blesse in the name of the Lord, though antiquity reserved this to him. These therefore were kept to him, not as acts exceeding the Presbyters power of order, but for the supposed honour of him and the Church. For as Am…rosa saith, Vt omnes ea…em possunt irrational…, & vulgaris res. vilis que vider…r; It pleaseth antiquity therefore to set up one who should quo…d ex…tiam doe many things alone, not because that Presbyters could not, but it seemed in their eyes more to the honor of the Church, that some one should be interes…ed in them.
Fourthly, Amalarius in a certaine booke of sacred orders, doth confu…e the doctrine of an uncertain author, who taught that one bishop onelyonly was to lay hands on a Deacon: because he was consecrated not to Priesthood, but to ministery and service. Nunquid scriptor libell. …ctio… & sanctior Apostolis quiposuerunt plures manus super Diaconos quando consecr…bantur, & prop…ea solus Episcopus manus ponat super Di…conum, …c si solus possit precari virtutem gratiarum quam plures Apostoli precabantur. Op imum est b…nos duces sequi, qui certaverunt us que ad plenam victori… ▪ Whence it is plaine, he did know no further thing in imposition then prayer, which the more imposed, is the more for…ible.