Paragraph 36.1

The Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops, and ordering of Priests and Deacons, lately set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth, and confirmed at the same time by Authority of Parliament, doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and Ordering; neither hath it any thing that of it self is superstitious and ungodly. And therefore whosoever are Consecrated and Ordered according to the Rites of that Book since the Second Year of the aforenamed King Edward unto this time, or hereafter shall be Consecrated or Ordered according to the same Rites, we decree all such to be rightly, orderly, and lawfully Consecrated and Ordered.

As to the most essential parts of this Article, they were already examined, when the pretended Sacrament of Orders was explained; where it was proved, that Prayer and Imposition of Hands was all that was necessary to the giving of Orders; and that the Forms added in the Roman Pontifical are new, and cannot be held to be necessary, since the Church had subsisted for many Ages before those were thought on. So that either our Ordinations without those Additions are good, or the Church of God was for many Ages without true Orders. There seems to be here insinuated a Ratification of Orders that were given before this Article was made; which being done (as the Lawyers phrase it) ex post facto, it seems these Orders were unlawful, when given, and that Error was intended to be corrected by this Article. The opening a part of the History of that time will clear this matter.

There was a new Form of Ordinations agreed on by the Bishops in the Third Year of King Edward; and when the Book of Common-Prayer, with the last Corrections of it, was Authorized by Act of Parliament in the Fifth Year of that Reign, the New Book of Ordinations was also enacted, and was appointed to be a part of the Common-Prayer-Book. In Queen Mary’s time these Acts were repealed, and those Books were condemned by Name. When Queen Elizabeth came to the Crown, King Edward’s Common-Prayer-Book was of new enacted, and Queen Mary’s Act was repealed. But the Book of Ordination was not expresly named, it being considered as a part of the Common-Prayer-Book, as it had been made in King Edward’s time; so it was thought no more necessary to mention that Office by Name, than to mention all the other Offices that are in the Book. Bishop Bonner set on foot a Nicety, That since the Book of Ordinations was by name condemned in Queen Mary’s time, and was not by name revived in Queen Elizabeth’s time, that therefore it was still condemned by Law, and that by consequence Ordinations performed according to this Book, were not legal. But it is visible, that whatsoever 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 Sacred Performances, but only as they are Legal Actions, with relation to our Constitution. Therefore a Declaration was made in a subsequent Parliament, That the Book of Ordination was considered as a part of the Book of Common-Prayer: And to clear all Scruples or Disputes that might arise upon that matter, they by a Retrospect declared them to be good; and from that Retrospect in the Act of Parliament, the like Clause was put in the Article.

The chief Exception that can be made to the Form of giving Orders amongst us, is to those words, Receive ye the Holy Ghost; which as it is no Antient Form, it not being above Five hundred Years old, so it is taken from Words of our Saviour’s that the Church in her best times thought were not to be applied to this. It was proper to him to use them, who had the Fulness of the Spirit to give it at pleasure: He made use of it in constituting his Apostles the Governours of his Church in his own stead; and therefore it seems to have a Sound in it that is too bold and assuming, as if we could convey the Holy Ghost. To this it is to be answered, That the Churches both in the East and West have so often changed the Forms of Ordination, that our Church may well claim the same Power of appointing New Forms, that others have done. And since the several Functions and Administrations that are in the Church, are by the Apostle said to flow from one and the same Spirit, all of them from the Apostles down to the Pastors and Teachers, we may then reckon that the Holy Ghost, though in a much lower degree, is given to those who are inwardly moved of God to undertake that Holy Office. So that though that extraordinary Effusion that was poured out upon the Apostles, was in them in a much higher degree, and was accompanied with most amazing Characters; yet still such as do sincerely offer themselves up, on a Divine Motion, to this Service, receive a lower Portion of this Spirit. That being laid down, these Words, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, may be understood to be of the nature of a Wish and Prayer; as if it were said, May thou receive the Holy Ghost; and so it will better agree with what follows, And be thou a faithful Dispenser of the Word and Sacraments. Or it may be observed, That in those Sacred Missions the Church and Church-men consider themselves as acting in the Name and Person of Christ. In Baptism it is expresly said, I baptize in the Name of the Father, &c. In the Eucharist we repeat the Words of Christ, and apply them to the Elements, as said by him. So we consider such as deserve to be admitted to those Holy Functions, as Persons called and sent of God; and therefore the Church in the Name of Christ sends them; and because he gives a Portion of his Spirit to those whom he sends, therefore the Church in his Name says, Receive the Holy Ghost. And in this sense, and with this respect, the use of these Words may be well justified.