which our Princes Exercise in nominating to vacant Bishopricks, enjoyning and commanding Elections and Confecrations, yet

our Bishops do not derive their Sacerdotal Power of Confecration from our Kings and Queens in the fame manner as Civil Officers derive their Authority from them, meerly by virtue of the Royal Commiflion. For the Royal Commiffion alone will make a Civil Officer, but a Bishop was never fo made within this Realm, or can be fo otherwife than by having the Epifcopal Power committed to him by other Bishops. If any defire further Satisfaction in this Matter, I must refer them P. 218. &c. to * Dr. Hickes's excellent Preface to his two Treatifes, of the Chriftian Priesthood; And of the Dignity of the Epifcopal Order.

CHA P. XXII.

Of the Inferiour Orders of the Clergy not retained in the Church of England.

Efore I conclude this Difcourfe it will not,

BE

I fuppofe, be unacceptable to speak fomething of fome Inferiour Orders of the Secular Clergy which have been of ancient Inftitution, and are still retained in the Church of Rome, *DA. 21. 1. but not with us. * These are called Subdea

cons, Acolyths, Exorcifts, Readers, Pfalmifts or Singers and Doorkeepers. They were numbered among the Clergy very early, as appears from the Apoftolical Canons: The five first were reckoned as fuch by Saint (a) Cyprian,

which

which fhews that there were fuch in his time, which was about the middle of the Third Century. But they were not efteemed to be in Holy Orders, as appears from (b) Gratian, (b) Dist. 6. c. 4. Let no one be Ordained a Bishop, but one who is found to live Religiously, being in Holy Orders: We call only the Deaconfhip and Priesthood Holy Orders. And it is manifeft from the (c) Apo→ (c) Can⋅ 42, 43. ftolical Canons that these Inferiour Clerks, tho' they were in fome Refpects esteemed to be of the Clergy, (because they were Servants in the Church, and Maintained out of its Revenues, and received that which was called Ordination, but was indeed but a Defignation to a particular Office in the Church, for they had no Impofition of Hands) yet they were looked upon in Reality to be but Lay-men, and were punished as Lay-men not by Depofition, but Segregation. (d) But afterwards (4) Decret, Greg. Subdeacons alfo were judged to be in Holy lib. 1. tit 1. c. 9. Orders. The feveral Offices of these feveral Orders are fet down by (e) Ifidore..

Subdeacons are fo called, because they are to affift the Deacons and be Obedient to them: They are to gather the Oblations of the Faithful in the Church of God, and to bring them to the Deacons to be placed upon the Altar : To bring likewife the Cup and Paten to 'em to be placed there alfo: To hold a Bafon of Water and Towel to the Bishops, Priests and Deacons when they wash their Hands before the Altar.

The Reader is to Read to the People out of the Holy Scriptures, and to Preach to the People teaching 'em what they are to follow.

(e) Dift. 21. c. 1

& Dift. 25. c. 1.

Laod. Can. 26.

The Acolyths are to light Candles, and hold 'em whilft the Gofpel is Reading and the Lord's Supper Adminiftring.

To the Exorcift it belongs to lay Hands on the Energumens or Perfons poffeffed, and Catechumen's who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Baptifm. For two or three Centuries in the Primitive Church God was pleafed to continue the Gift of Miracles to fome Perfons, and those whofe Gift it was to cast out Devils were called Exorcifts. Afterwards this Name was continued to those who might more properly be called Catechifts, as we may *Annot. Concil. learn from Balfamon; their Office being to Catechize Infidels, to teach and instruct them in the first Principles of Christianity, thereby to Exorcize or cast out the Spirit of Infidelity. Which because fome undertook to do without being thereunto appointed by the Bishop, the Council of Laodicea, A. D. 370, made a Decree, that No Perfon fhould Exorcize in the Church or any private Houfe without a License from the Bishop. Whereas if this had continued 'till that Time to have been an especial Miraculous Gift of God to caft out Devils, I cannot See why the Council fhould oblige one endued with this Gift to be appointed by the Bishop, for he that could fhew his Commiffion from Heaven by Working Miracles certainly needed no new Commiffion from Man for that purpose. But if we understand Exorcizing to be Catechizing Infidels, then it is very reasonable that the Perfon who undertakes this Work fhould be firft Examined and Licensed thereunto by the Bishop: Otherwife Ignorant and Illiterate Perfons might pretend to teach Others what they did not understand themselves, and there

by

by expofe the Church of God to Unbelievers instead of Converting them to it. However the Church of Rome, who has not yet, as fhe pretends, loft the Gift of Miracles, ftill continues this Order of Exorcifts to cast out Devils, for which end those who are there appointed to this Office learn abundance of Exorcifms or Conjuring Words and Tricks 'till they become perfect Masters of them.

The Pfalmift or Singer was to Sing Pfalms and Hymns at proper Times during the Celebration of Divine Service. Amongst these there is the Precentor who begins the Tune and Sings the first Verfe, The Succentor who follows and Sings the fecond, and the Concentor, who joyns in the Harmony and Sings with one of them.

The Office of the Door-keeper was to keep the Keys of the Church, and to take Care of all things left in it: To keep the Door, opening it to the Faithful, and shutting it against Infidels and excommunicated Perfons.

*The Manner of Ordaining these feveral Dift. 23. to 1 yo Officers is fet down by Gratian, from the Ca- &c. nons of the Fourth Council of Carthage, A.

D. 398.

The Subdeacon, when he is Ordained, receives no Impofition of Hands, but the Bifhop gives him an empty Paten and an empty Cup, and he receives from the Archdeacon a Pitcher of Water with a Bafon and Towel.

The Acolyth is to be taught by the Bishop, after what manner he is to behave himself in his Office, and he is to receive from the Archdeacon a Candlestick with a Wax-Candle, that he may know it is his Business to light the Wax-Candles in the Church: He is alfo

to receive an empty Flagon to provide Wine for the Eucharift of Chrift's Blood.

The Exorcift is to receive from the Bishop a Book wherein the Exorcifms are written. The Bishop faying to him, Take and commit thefe to Memory, and have thou Power to lay Hands on ENERGUMENS or Perfons poffeffed, whether they be baptized, or CATE CHUMENS preparing to be baptized.

When a Reader is to be Ordained, the Bifhop makes a fhort Difcourfe concerning him to the People, declaring his Faith, his Life and his Understanding: After this, in the prefence of the People he delivers to him the Book out of which he is to read, faying to him, Take this, and be a Reader of the Word of God, and thou shalt have, if thou faithfully, and ufefully perform the Duty, a Portion with those who minifter the Word of God.

The Pfalmift or Singer may execute his Office without any License from the Bishop, only by Command from the Prieft, faying to him, See that what you fing with your Mouth, you believe with your Heart, and what you believe with your Heart, you approve by your Works.

The Door-keeper, after he has been inftructed by the Archdeacon how he ought to behave himfelf in the Houfe of God, the Bishop at the Suggestion of the Archdeacon fhall take the Keys from the Altar and deliver them to him, faying, Behave your felf fo as one that must give an Account to God of the things locked thefe Keys..

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