was repealed. But the Book of Ordination was not ex- ART. prefsly named, it being confidered as a part of the Common- XXXVI. Prayer-Book, as it had been made in King Edward's time; fo it was thought no more neceffary to mention that office by name, than to mention all the other offices that are in the book. Bifhop Bonner fet on foot a nicety, that fince the Book of Ordinations was by name condemned in Queen Mary's time, and was not by name received in Queen Elizabeth's time, that therefore it was ftill condemned by law, and that by confequence ordinations performed according to this book were not legal. But it is vifible, that whatfoever might be made out of this, according to the niceties of our law, it has no relation to the validity of ordinations, as they are facred performances, but only as they are legal actions, with relation to our conftitution. Therefore a declaration was made in a fubfequent parliament, that the Book of Ordination was confidered as a part of the Book of Common-Prayer: and, to clear all fcruples or difputes that might arise upon that matter, they by a retrofpect declared them to be good; and from that retrospect in the act of parliament, the like claufe was put in the Article.

The chief exception that can be made to the form of giving orders amongst us, is to thofe words, Receive ye the Holy Ghost; which as it is no ancient form, it not being above five hundred years old, fo it is taken from words of our Saviour's, that the Church in her beft times thought were not to be applied to this. It was proper to him to ufe them, who had the fulness of the Spirit to give it at pleasure he made ufe of it in conftituting his Apoftles the governors of his Church in his own ftead; and therefore it seems to have a found in it that is too bold and affuming, as if we could convey the Holy Ghoft. To this it is to be answered, that the Churches both in the Eaft and Weft have fo often changed the forms of ordination, that our Church may well claim the fame power of appointing new forms, that others have done. And fince the feveral functions and administrations that are in the Church are by the Apoftle faid to flow from one and the fame Spirit, all of them from the Apolles down to the Paftors and Teachers, we may then reckon that the Holy Ghoft, though in a much lower degree, is given to thofe who are inwardly moved of God to undertake that holy office. So that though that extraordinary effufion that was poured out upon the Apoftles, was in them in a much higher degree, and was accompanied with moft amazing characters; yet ftill fuch as do fincerely offer themselves

up,

ART. up, on a divine motion, to this fervice, receive a lower XXXVI. portion of this Spirit. That being laid down, these words, Receive the Holy Ghost, may be understood to be of the nature of a wifh and prayer; as if it were faid, May thou receive the Holy Ghost; and fo it will better agree with what follows, And be thou a faithful difpenfer of the word and facraments. Or it may be obferved, that in those facred miffions the Church and Churchmen confider themselves as acting in the name and perfon of Chrift. In baptism it is exprefsly faid, I baptize in the name of the Father, &c. In the eucharift we repeat the words of Chrift, and apply them to the elements, as faid by him. So we confider fuch as deferve to be admitted to thofe holy functions, as perfons called and fent of God; and therefore the Church in the name of Chrift fends them; and because he gives a portion of his Spirit to thofe whom he fends, therefore the Church in his name fays, Receive the Holy Ghoft. And in this fenfe, and with this refpect, the ufe of thefe words may be well juftified.

ARTICLE

ARTICLE XXXVII.

Of Civil Magiftrates.

The Queen's Pajelkp hath the chief Power in this Realm of England, and other her Dominions, under whom the chief Government of all Eftates of this Realm, whether thep be Ecclefiaftical or Civil, in all Causes doth appertain, and is not, noz ought to be subjec to any Foreign Jurisdiaion. Where we attribute to the Queen's Hajecky the chief Government, by which Titles we undeztand the minds of fome flandezous Folks to be offended: We givenot to our Princes the miniftring either of God's Word oz of the Sacraments; the which thing the Injuncions alfo lately fet forth bp Elizabeth our Queen do mok plainly teftifp; but that only Pzezogative which we see to have been given always to all godly Princes in Holy Scriptuzes by God Himfelk, that is, That they should rule all Efkates and Degrees committed to their charge by God, whether then be Ecclefiaftical oz Tempozal, and reffzain with the Civil Sword the ftubborn and evil-doers.

The Bishop of Rome hath no Jurifdition in this Realm of England.

The Laws of the Realm map punish Chzifkian Pen with Death for heinous and grievous Offences. It is lawful for Christian Pen, at the Commandment of the Magiftrate, to wear weapons, and serve in the Wars.

HIS Article was much fhorter, as it was published in TH King Edward's time, and did run thus: The King of England is fupreme bead in earth, next under Chrift, of the Church of England and Ireland. Then followed the paragraph against the Pope's jurifdiction, worded as it is now: to which these words were fubjoined, The civil magiftrate is ordained and allowed of God; wherefore we must obey bim, not only for fear of punishment, but also for confcience fake. In Queen Elizabeth's time it was thought fitting to take away thofe prejudices that the Papifts were generally infufing

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ART. infufing into the minds of the people against the term XXXVII. bead; which feemed to be the more incongruous, because

a woman did then reign; therefore that was left out, and instead of it the words chief power and chief government were made use of, which do fignify the fame thing.

The Queen did alfo by her Injunctions offer an explanation of this matter; for whereas it was given out by those who had complied with every thing that had been done both in her father's and in her brother's time, but that refolved now to fet themselves in oppofition to her, that the was affuming a much greater authority than they had pretended to the upon that ordered that explanation which is referred to in the Article, and is in thefe words: For certainly her Majefly neither doth nor ever will challenge any authority, other than that was challenged and lately ujed by the faid noble Kings of famous memory, King Henry the Eighth, and King Edward the Sixth, which is and was of ancient time due to the imperial crown of this realm; that is, under God to have the fovereignty and rule over all manner of perfons born within thefe her realms, dominions, and countries, of what eftate, either ecclefiaftical or temporal, foever they be; fo as no other foreign power fhall or ought to bave any fuperiority over them. And if any perfon that bath conceived any other fenfe of the faid oath, ball accept the fame oath with this interpretation, fenfe, or meaning, ber Majefly is well pleafed to accept every fuch in that behalf, as her good and obedient fubjects; and fhall acquit them of all manner of penalties contained in the faid act, against such as shall peremptorily and obflinately refuse to take the fame oath.

Thus this matter is opened, as it is both in the Article and in the Injunctions. In order to the treating regularly of this Article, it is, first, to be proved, that the Pope hath no jurifdiction in thefe kingdoms. 2dly, That our Kings or Queens have it. And, 3dly, the nature and measures of this power and government are to be stated.

As for the Pope's authority, though it is now connected with infallibility, yet it was pretended to, and was advanced for many ages before infallibility was fo much as thought on. Nor was the doctrine of their infallibility ever fo univerfally received and fubmitted to in thefe western parts, as was that of their univerfal jurifdiction. They were in poffeffion of it: appeals were made to them: they fent legates and bulls every where: they granted exemptions from the ordinary jurifdiction; and took Bifhops bound to them by oaths, that were penned in the form of oaths of fealty or homage. This was the first point that our Reformers did begin with, both here and every where elfe ;

that

XXXVII.

that fo they might remove that which was an infuperable ART. obftruction, till it was first taken out of the way, to every step that could be made toward a reformation. They laid down therefore this for their foundation, that all Bishops were by their office and character equal; and that every one of them had the fame authority that any other had, over that flock which was committed to his care: and therefore they said, that the Bishops of Rome had no authority, according to the conftitution in which the Churches were fettled by the Apoftles, but over the city of Rome : and that any further jurifdiction that any ancient Popes might have had, did arife from the dignity of the city, and the customs and laws of the empire. As for their deriving that authority from St. Peter, it is very plain, that the Apostles were all made equal to him; and that they never understood our Saviour's words to him, as importing any authority that was given to him over the reft; fince they continued to the laft, while our Saviour was among them, difputing which of them should be the greatest. The propofition Matth. xx. that the mother of James and John made, in which it is evi- 21, 24, 26. dent, that they likewife concurred with her, fhews that they did not apprehend that Chrift had made any declaration in favour of St. Peter, as by our Saviour's anfwer it appears that he had not done; otherwife he would have referred them to what he had already faid upon that occafion. By the whole hiftory of the Acts of the Apoftles, it appears, that the Apoftles acted and confulted in common, without confidering St. Peter as having any fuperiority over them. He was called to give an account of his baptizing Cornelius; and he delivered his opinion in the council of Jerufalem, without A&s xi. z, any ftrain of authority over the reft. St. Paul does ex- 3. prefsly deny, that the other Apoftles had any fuperiority or jurifdiction over him; and he fays in plain words, that be Gal.ii. 7, 8, was the Apostle of the uncircumcifion, as St. Peter was the11, Apofle of the circumcifion; and in that does rather claini an advantage over him; fince his was certainly the much wider province. He with ftood St. Peter to his face, when he thought that he deferved to be blamed; and he speaks of his own line and share, as being fubordinate in it to none: and by his faying, that he did not stretch himself beyond bis 2 Cor. x. own measure, he plainly infinuates, that within his own province he was only accountable to him that had called and fent him. This was alfo the fenfe of the primitive Church, that all Bishops were Brethren, Colleagues, and FellowBishops and though the dignity of that city, which was the head of the empire, and the opinion of that Church's being founded by St. Peter and St. Paul, created a great

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respect

Acts xv. 7,

14, 19.

14.