1 fome think) were Bifhops, and others only Prefbyters; Thofe who were Bishops might Ordain; Thofe who were only Prefbyters could not. 20. VIII. Bifhops and Prefbyters are not Difind Orders and Officers (p. 25. 1.46.) And Ordinatio eft Ordinis [ibid. 1.19] And, Biops Ordain as Prefbyters; for if they were not Prefyters they could not Ordain. [ib. 1. 47.] Thefe things I took notice of before. Now I have them in another View; as amounting to another Objection against my Opinion, as you call it, to which I fhall only return thefe few things. 21. Firft, thefe are Propofitions maintained [for any thing I know, Originally Minted] by the Papifts, on purpose to Support one of the moft Infupportable Extravagances of Popery, the Monftrous Doctrine of Tranfub ftantiation. On the Suppofition of the Truth of this Doctrine, they thought it natural to Reafon thus; Prefbyters produce the Act of the Higbeft Power any Church Officer can be capable of: By pronouncing five Words, they turn the Subftance of Bread and Wine into the Subftance of our Lord's Body and Blood: And thofe who can produce the 4 of the Higheft Power muft be of the Highest Order: Bishops therefore, whatever they may be in Degree, cannot in Order be Superiour to Prefbyters, 'Twas fuch Reafoning as this, Sir, that put the Popish School-Men on the Humour of Diftinguishing between Order and Degree, and Ranking Bishops and Prefbyters in Two dif ferent ferent Degrees of One and the fame Order. And now Sir, to deal plainly, 22. Secondly, I am afraid fuch Diftingusbing, approaches too hear to Fargon. Your own Salmafius (as we have feen, Let. 3. §. 7.) plainly calls it fo. Indeed common Senfe feems to fay, that with Regard to an Hieratchy the Terms, Order and Degree must fignify the fame thing. I am apt to think, you'll find it hard to tell what it may be that may conftitute a different Degree, and yet cannot conftitute a different Order. What can it be that can conftitute a different Degree, if 'tis not fome Power or other which thofe of One Degree may exercife, but thofe of another may not? But if this is it, what Incongruity can there be în faying, fuch a Power makes a Different Order? But I will not contend about words. Suppose that Bishops differ only in Degree from Prefbyters, provided you'll fay that 'tis fome Peculiar Power that raises them to that Peculiar Degree. This your School-Men muft fpeak out fo foon as they are willing to fpeak Intelligibly. Indeed they commonly fay it on the Matter. They fay that which raises a Bishop to the Higher Degree is the Extenfion, or (as fome call it) Ampliation of the Sacerdotal Character: But how can the Sacerdotal Character be faid to be Extended or Ampliated, when the Perfon in whom it is Extended or Ampliated cannot Exercife fome Power, produce fome 4, he was Infufficient for before fuch Execution or Ampliation of his Character? And now, Sir, I fhall be glad to learn what other Power can stand fo Fair for P 4 for being that peculiar Power, as the Power of Ordination. This is certain, let the SchoolMen talk as they please, there may, nay there must be a Power Higher than the Power of Confecrating the Eucharift, even fuppofing that the Confecration amounted to a Tranfubftantiation of the Elements: The Power I mean, of Conferring that Power, efpecially if 'twas conferr'd with this Exprefs Provifo, that it was to be Exercifed in Dependance on the Perfon that Conferr'd it; As 'tis certain, every Power of a Simple Prefbyter must be, by the undoubted Principles of the Primitive Church. That is, in plain Terms, the Power of Ordination muft always be an Higher Power than any Power that is Conferr'd on Simple Prefbyters. But enough of fuch Speculations. Indeed there is no need of them. For; 23. Thirdly, the folid and perfpicuous Hypothefis of the Antients, would we duly weigh it, and dutifully Return to it, would make all clear and fmooth. They knew not(at leaft, they regarded not) the Scholaftick Niceties about Aus Primus and Actus Secundus, Remote Powers and Next Powers, &c. They troubled not their Heads with the Coarctations or Dilatations, the Contractions or Extenfions; the Fetterings or the Enlargements; the Reftrictions or Ampliations, the Delebilities or Indelebilities of Characters. They never dreamed of One power over the True, and another over the Myftical Body of Chrift: The former, I am apt to think, they would have call'd it Sacriledge and Blafphemy to have pretended ג to to. They proceeded on the Common and Known Principles of Mankind concerning the Frame and Order of Societies; and Confidered Matters as they might be felt and handled. They look'd on every particular Church as a political Body, and on the Bishop as the Head, and having the Supreme Power of that Body; And on Prefbyters as Officers Subordinate to the Bishop, having their Commiffions from him, and acting in Dependance on him: And fo they look'd on the Bishop as Notorioufly Superiour to Prefbyters in Order and Degree. So the Antients; I fay, for they used both Terms Indifcriminately. (1) Apparat ad Lib. 24. Fourthly, your Pofition, Ordinatio eft ordinis, if taken in this Senfe, that the Power of Ordination is a Branch of the Power of Order, as oppos'd by the Schoolmen to the Power of Furifdiction, is founded on a Diftinction which perhaps is not fo very folid; a Diftinction, for any thing we know, unknown to the Antients. Befides, many Learned Men, (amongst the Reft your own Salmafius, (1) and Mr. George Gillespie, (m) and perhaps many more of your Friends) have Reckon'd Ordination an At of Furifdiction; and then, What tho' the Power of Ordaining was a Branch of the Power of Order? Wou'd it follow that every Man who has got any Degree of the Power of Order, may Communicate what he has got, i. e. Ordain others to (m) Affertion of the the i the fame Finition? If I miftake not, Sir, your own Difcipline does not allow Ruling Elders to Ordain Ruling Elders, nor Deacons to Ordain Deacons: This is certain, to have faid that Deacons had Power to Ordain Deacons, in Ancient Times, had been deem'd no Ordinary Paradox. And then, 25. Fifthly, to your other Pofition, That Bifhops Ordain as Prefbyters, &c. I fhall fay no more but that, as 'tis too openly Interefted in the Mysteries of Tranfubftantiation; fo, as I have prov'd, the Reverfe of it, viz. That Bifhops Ordain'd as Bishops, and not as Prefbyters, was by all Men, every where, entertain'd as true Catholick Doctrine in the firft and pureft Ages. 26. IX. Epifcopacy, tho' even of Divine Infitution is not always abfolutely neceffary. Divines do diftinguish betwixt the Neceffity of Precept and of Mean, &c. (p. 23. 1. 33, &c.) Briefly, Sir, to be abfolutely Neceffary for Salvation is one thing; and to be abfolutely Neceffary for the due Conftitution of an Organiz'd Visible Church, is another. As I have faid before (Let. 2. §. 74.) So I fay again, God forbid I fhould prefume to prefcribe Limits to the Divine Mercy. God fees all things, and ponders all things, and is not difficulted about any thing: And fo he may fee Reason to pardon, when it would be an impious Prefumption in Fou or Me to fay, he fhould. We cannot know what Stores of Supra legal Clemency he has kept in Referve, to be difpenf ed when he fhall fee it proper to dispense them. |