Ellis on Article XXXVI: Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers

Ansi. An Archbishop is no other than the highest of the Bishops, who is as a Head, (er _ over. other Bishops’: And alchough we do not meer with this Word in the Scrjptures, yer it agrees rtherenno for the preserving of Order in the Church ; that ‘tis prudent and useful ro constitute Degrees in the Church of different Dignity and Authority, In = on clita»

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Testament; there was a High Priest and Priests of a second and Inferiour Order : In the New, there were Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pa= ftors, and Teachers : And ir 15 not contrary to the Word of God, rhar One should be above Another in rhe Church for Goverament’s sake.

Obj. 2. I: is an impious thing, that the Bi- shop should say to every, one of those that are Ordained, Receive the Holy Ghost ; as if he had the Power of conferring the Holy Ghost, whith

is peculiar to Christ himself, and was the mira=.

lous Token of his Divine Power : But no mortal Man can assume this to himself, or ought to imitate tt..

Answ. The Bil:op does nor mean, when he says, Receive the Holy Ghost, as if he could be- stow upon them the inward Gifrs of the Holy

Ghost in an extraordinary manner ; bur he.

says ir, because he confers upon them the ex-

rernal and ordinary Ministry , whereof the.

Holy Ghost is the Author : In which Senfeal- so he says, Receive thou Authority to preach the

Opel &Cc.

bj. 3. Those first Bishops and Ministers af

ter the Reformation were not rightly ordained, be.

cause they were not Ordained by such other Bis shaps, who had a continued Succession from preceding Bishops lawfully called , and because in the Solemnity of Consecration and Ordination,

the accustomed Rites and Ceremonies were.

wanting, t Answ. Our first Bishops were Ordained by

Romisn Priests ; who although chey had gor

amongst them a Purity of Doctrine, yer they

’ lost nor the Power of Ordination. Ir is agreed,

that those who are baptized by Hereticks, are E 5 truly

Thirty Nine Articles, :3

— a II WY Al PEAR 4 I FS - A PEE ERA mars Ge

82 A Defence of the truly baptized : Andrthere is the same Reason for those who: are Ordained by. thein, The Pharisees fat.in Meses’s Chair ; and Fudas exe- cured-his Apostolick Office : And why nor, since a whollome and good Effect does nor de- — upon the Sincerity of him that adminj- ers, but upon the Authority of the Institution, The Ceremonies and Rites were likewile a- greeable ro the Holy Scriptures ; as may be easily made ro appear from ihe Records and Writings of our own Countryimen. It .any one should now (ay, that the Remist Pricits. were not lawtully called, and therefore Qurs could not be rightly Ordain’d by them, we have this to say ; Thar their Vouiuon as to the very | Being and Esl:nce of it, was Legi:imate : be- cause even they were call’|| to teach the Truth, although the Accidems were TIllegirimare : Neither could they deprive our Bishops of their Vocation, though they did not wach accord- ing t0 the Taste and Reli’l: of the Church of Rome. We ought to cbcy Ged rather than Men. There are some roo that make answer ; Thar a Magistrate and a faithtul People may constirure and choose Bishops and Paitors, c- specially in a Cale of neccility. Moreover, a Succession from the Apostles is indeed requi- red ; bur this ought ro be rather a Doctrinal than a Personal Succeliiion.

ART. XXXVII. Of the Civil Magistrates.