II.

SERM. had received, to their Successors in all ages. For the way whereby Christ bestowed it upon the twelve, by breathing on them, was proper and peculiar to Himself, from whom the Spirit proceedeth. But this was a way which both they and their Successors in all ages would be capable of: for their [1Cor.6.19] bodies, as well as souls, being made the temples of the Holy Ghost at their Consecration, whensoever they laid their hands upon any person, so as to touch his body, with a design of transferring the same Spirit upon him, it is easy to imagine how such a person comes to be endowed with it: especially, seeing the Holy Ghost had instituted and appointed this to be the way of doing it, and therefore it is impossible it should ever fail. Insomuch, that as the same power which was given to Aaron at his Consecration, was propagated and continued in that Church by successive generation from father to son, so long as the Church itself lasted; so is the same Spirit and Power, which was given to the Apostles at their Consecration, propagated and continued in the Church of Christ, by the successive imposition of hands from one to another, and will be, so long as the world endureth.

This therefore being the method that the holy Apostles, by the direction of the Spirit itself, had agreed upon before their dispersions, wheresoever any of them went, so soon as they had converted any considerable number to the faith, enough to make a Church, before they departed from them, they still laid their hands upon one whom they judged the fittest among them, and so left the same Spirit which they themselves had, with him, for the government and edification of that Church; for whosoever was thus ordained, did by that means receive the Spirit. And therefore, St. Paul having thus ordained Timothy at Ephesus, in 2 Tim. 1. 6. his second epistle to him, he useth these words: "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee, by the putting on of my hands." And what this gift of God was, he declares in the following words, saying, "For God hath not given us the Spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." As if he should have said, For that Spirit which God hath given us, even me and thee, is not a spirit of fear, but of power, to

instruct and govern the Church; of love, to regulate our passions in the doing it; and of a sound mind, to keep both stedfast in the faith. Plainly implying, that by the laying of his hands upon him, God had given the same Spirit to Timothy, that he himself, the Apostle, had.

But elsewhere, the same Apostle tells Timothy, that this gift was given him by prophecy, "with the laying on of the 1Tim. 4. 14. hands of the Presbytery." From whence it may seem, that some of the elders of the Church joined with St. Paul in laying their hands upon him; and yet St. Paul ascribes it wholly to the laying on of his hands, and saith, the gift was given him by that, and only with the other, because he being the only Apostle that laid on his hands, and so the only person that had power by that means to confer the Holy Spirit, although it was given to him, together with the laying on of the other's hands upon him, yet it was not given by that, but by the laying on of St. Paul's hands, as he himself saith. As it is in our Church at this time, and so hath been in the Latin for many ages, in the ordination of a Priest; the Priests there present join with the Bishop in their laying their hands upon him, and yet he is ordained only by the Bishop's laying on his hands. For how many Priests soever lay their hands upon another's head, they can never make him a real Priest, unless there be a Bishop with them; but a Bishop, by the imposition of his hands, can make a Priest, although there be never another Priest with him. Neither doth the law require, that any Priests should be present at such Ordination, but only that the Bishop, with the Priests present (if there happen to be any), shall lay their hands upon him that is to be ordained; the imposition of the Priests' hands being only to signify their consent, that such a person should be received into their order, and so take off the blame from the Bishop, in case he should prove to have been unworthy of it. But still, it is only by the imposition of the Bishop's hands that he is made a Priest, as St. Paul saith, that Timothy received the Spirit, by the laying on of his hands, notwithstanding the Presbytery joined with him in it.

But of this, the Spirit's being given by such imposition of hands, so that it is by Him principally that the person is

II.

Chap. 20.

Ver. 28.

SERM. ordained, we have a very remarkable instance in the Acts of the Apostles, where we read how St. Paul having ordained many Elders or Bishops in Asia, he summoned them to a Visitation that he held at Miletus, and in the charge he gave them, among other things, he said, "Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers," or Bishops. For from hence it appears, that when they were ordained by the imposition of the Apostle's hands, the Holy Ghost so came upon them, that He constituted them in the office they were ordained to it was He that made them Bishops, the Apostle, and whosoever else might join with him in laying on of hands, were only His instruments, the Holy Ghost was the principal agent, and so questionless He is, and always will be, in all such Ordinations. So that all who are regularly ordained, may be truly and properly said to receive their power and commission from the Holy Ghost, that is then conferred upon them, and so from Christ Himself.

Having thus considered the course that the Apostles, by Christ's direction, took and instituted in the Church for the conferring of Holy Orders, so as that they might transfer the same Spirit, which they themselves received, upon those who were admitted into them, and so continue it in the Church for ever; we may further observe, that besides that of Deacons before-mentioned, they found it necessary to establish two other Orders in the Church, to remain through all ages: First, their own, which we now call the Order of Bishops, who are, therefore, by the ancients commonly termed the Apostles' Successors, because that by a successive imposition of hands, continued all along from the Apostles themselves, they receive the same Spirit and Power which the Apostles had, not only for the administration of the Word and Sacraments, but likewise for the government of the Church, and for the conferring of the Holy Spirit by the imposition of their hands, as the Apostles did, both for the confirmation of believers, and likewise for the Ordination of persons into their own and other offices in the Church.

The other Order is that of Priesthood, which being instituted for the due administration of all the ordinary means of grace, it was necessary that they, who were admitted into

this Order also, should have the Holy Ghost, the Fountain. of all Grace, conferred upon them, to influence their several administrations, without which it is impossible they should ever attain their end. And hence it is, that according to the practice of the Catholic and Apostolic Church, though not in that of Deacons, yet in the Ordination of Priests, as you will see presently, the Bishop, when he lays his hand severally upon every one that receives that Order, saith, "Receive the Holy Ghost for the office and work of a Priest in the Church of God, now committed unto thee by the imposition of our hands: whose sins thou dost forgive, they are forgiven; and whose sins thou dost retain, they are retained." Where we may observe, that although some other words are inserted to determine and distinguish the office committed to them, yet all the same words are repeated, which our Lord Himself used at the Ordination of His Apostles; which the Catholic Church always judged necessary, not only in imitation of our Blessed Saviour, but likewise, because that the persons who are ordained Priests in His Church, are to preach the same Word, administer the same Sacraments, and exercise the same power in the Censures of the Church, as the Apostles themselves did. And therefore it is necessary that they should be endued with the same Spirit, ordained after the same manner, and entrusted with the same power of the keys as the Apostles themselves were. By which means, the means of grace and salvation administered by Priests thus ordained, become as effectual to those that use them aright, as when they were administered by the Apostles themselves; the Spirit, which they receive by this imposition of hands, being always ready to assist at their several administrations, and to bless and sanctify them to those who are duly prepared and disposed for them.

Now from what we have thus briefly, as the occasion would permit, discoursed upon this subject, I shall draw only two inferences; whereof the first concerns those who are now to be admitted into Holy Orders, either Priests or Deacons. For from what ye have now heard, ye may easily see the duty as well as dignity of the office you are called to, to be ministers of Christ and stewards of the manifold mysteries of God. And therefore I hope you have pre

II.

SERM. pared yourselves according to the directions that have been given you, by prayer and fasting, for so great an undertaking; and so are both duly disposed to receive the Power and Spirit that shall be committed to you, and also fully resolved, by the grace of God, to exercise and improve it for your Master's use. For which purpose, as I do not doubt but you have seriously considered what questions will be propounded to you, and what answers ye must give to them; so I must entreat you to keep it always in your minds, how solemnly you this day devoted yourselves to the service of God and His Church, and what vows and promises you made in His presence, to be diligent in praying, in reading the Holy Scriptures, and in framing your lives accordingly; in ministering the doctrine, the Sacraments, and the discipline of Christ, as the Lord commanded, and as this Church and realm hath received the same; to drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines, and to maintain and set forward, as much as in you lies, quietness, love and peace, among Christian people, and reverently to obey your ordinary, and those to whom is committed the charge and government over you. If ye do these things according as ye then promise, ye will save both yourselves and them that hear you; but otherwise, after all your preaching unto others, you yourselves will be castaways.

1 Tim. 4. 12.

The other inference respects all here present: for, from the premises duly weighed, you cannot but all infer both the necessity and dignity of those Holy Orders which are now to be conferred: the necessity, in that the means of salvation cannot be administered effectually without them; and the dignity, in that they are effectually administered by them. Upon which account, you cannot but acknowledge there is a real honour and respect due to those who are thus ordained, though not for their own, yet for their office sake; and for His sake whose officers and ministers they are, in conveying the greatest blessings to you, that you are, or ever can be capable of.

Wherefore, as St. Paul saith to Timothy, "Let no man despise thy youth," so say I to you, do not despise Christ's Clergy for their youth, or poverty, or upon any other account whatsoever; but esteem them as ye ought, for His