A treatise of the nature of a minister in all its offices to which is annexed an answer to Doctor Forbes concerning the necessity of bishops to ordain, which is an answer to a question, proposed in these late unhappy times, to the author, What is a minister?

SECT. IV. An Objection against our practice answered, and the force of the Argument satisfied.

IT is true and it is according to the first Ceremony used in the Pontisical; where it is said that the Consecrating Bishop takes the Book from the shoulders of the Consecrated, and with the other assisting Bishops, gives it shut to the Consecrated with these words Accipe Evangelium receive the Gospel, we use this, and with it a godly exhortation to the Bishop, but it is after his Consecration, for that is perfected in the first Act, Re∣ceive the Holy Ghost for the office of a Bishop in the Churches of God now committed unto thee by the imposition of our Hands. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost; this only is essen∣tially the Consecration, and if the Arch-bishop should be struck dead immediately after the pronouncing these words; the Con∣secrated Bishop should receive no other Consecration, we use likewise an examination before the Consecration according to the

first Canon in the fourth Councel of Carthage although not punctu∣ally the same yet virtually containing all substantial matter in it; that reflected principally upon those Heresies which afflicted that Church at that time, our examination as it included these, so it particularizeth upon such as more neerly concerned the distur∣bance of our own, but neither that proceeding, nor this subse∣quent exhortation are essentially necessary ad esse to the Being of a Bishop, but conduce to the gravity and decency of the Ad∣ministration of so high a duty, as likewise for a memorial to e∣very Bishop to put him in mind of the bene esse the well and good execution of his Order, which is a most excellent office, and being no where forbid but indeed in many places of the New Testament taught, yea commanded, no man can think but that at such a Holy time as his Consecration, it is seasonable to put the Bishop to be Consecrated in mind of such performances which the Holy Ghost requires of him; this is all I hope is need∣ful for the satisfaction of that Argument; drawn from the Con∣secration of Pope Pelagius the first, who was Consecrated by the imposition of Hands from two Bishops and one Presbyter,, first it is evident th••t one particular act cannot satisfie a Right to do that again which hath been done once, because there is no rule or law against which no man ever trespassed.

Secondly, that the Errors committed in elections and Conse∣crations of Popes are no Presidents, because they have too of∣ten much transgressed in that kind. Thirdly, that Consecration in necessary occasions when more cannot be had, may be by two or one only Bishop, and yet be essentially good. Fourthly that nothing is essential but giving the proper blessing with impo∣sition of Hands: for the addition of one Presbyter to the two Bishops is served only to fill a gap, and to comply with an unne∣cessary received Ceremony; it added no virtue of its self, no•• impeded the virtue of the Consecration.