Jones on Article XXXVI: Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers

“It is evident unto all men, diligently reading holy scripture and ancient authors, that from the apostles’ time there hath been these orders of ministers in Christ’s church ; bishops, priests, and deacons : which offices were evermore had in such reverent estimation that no man by his own private authority might pre- sume to execute any of them, except he were first called, tried, examined, and known to have such qualities as were requisite for the same ; and also by public prayer, with imposition of hands, approved and admitted thereunto. And therefore to the intent these orders should be continued, and reverently used and esteemed in this Church of England, it is requisite that no man (not being at this present bishop, priest, nor deacon) shall exe- cute any of them except he be called, tried, examined, and ad-

mitted according to the form hereafter following, &c.” — Preface to the Form and Manner of making and consecrating Archbishops, Bishops, ij-c.

” In the Acts of the Apostles, where Matthias was chosen in- stead of Judas the traitor, where the seven deacons were chosen, and when Paul and Barnabas were sent forth to preach, how few ceremonies were used in comparison of that multitude which the papists use now ! And how much does it agree with our

kind of ordering ministers better than with theirs Acts

i. Peter calls the disciples together, preaches unto them ; they fall to prayer, and chose Matthias instead of Judas. In the sixth of the Acts, the apostles assemble the people, declare to them how they themselves should follow preaching, and will them therefore to pick out men of honesty and godliness to serve the poor : they pray together, lay their hands on them, and made them deacons to provide for the poor. In sending forth Paul and Barnabas, when they were assembled to their ministry, they fasted, prayed, laid their hands on them, and send them

forth In these places of the scripture there be these things

to be noted in sending forth ministers. First an assembly of the clergy and people, to bear testimony of their honesty and aptness that be called ; Secondly, I note they used ex- hortations with fasting, prayer, and laying on of hands. These ceremonies, we be sure, are good and holy, because the apostles used them so oft : and these except some great cause to the con- trary are to be used of all in calling of the ministers. All these things the order now appointed observes, and no more. ..Then if our bishops now use all such order as the apostles themselves used (as in comparing them together it will easily appear), why should any proud papist be so bold to correct magnificat, to re- prove them, and say that the pope has devised a better way than the apostles used ?” — Confutation of an addition.

AN EXPOSITION* OF THE