vised in Convocation, I cannot but also wifh, that the Prayer of Oblation may be restored to its antient place, as in the Offices in the Appendix. And fince I have taken fome pains in the following Letters, to fhew that Chriftian Presbyters are proper Priests appointed by God to bless the People, I cannot alfo forbear wishing, not only that the Apoftolical Benediction at the End of the Morning and Evening Services, were put in the Apoftles own Words, to be pronounced standing by the Priest, but also that fome other Prayers might by addition, or alteration, be appointed, which the Priest alone fhould put up for the People. I defigned alfo, in purfuance and confequence of what I have written about the Chriftian Priesthood, to addrefs my felf in moft humble manner to the Clergy, to put them in remembrance of their Office, as Priests, and to study to adorn it, as much at least as they generally do their Office, as Preachers; and to that end, among other Theories belonging to our Profeffion, to study rightly to understand the Powers, and Privileges of the Priesthood, and what they are to practife as fuch, and not to neglect their Sacerdotal Talents, or lay them up, as it were in a Napkin, and fuffer them to go farther into defuetude, to the difhonour of their Lord and Mafter, the great prejudice of the Priestly part of their Miniftry, and the farther decay of that Reverence, which the antient Chriftians fhew'd to their Minifters, as Priests. We fhould study to be skilful Confeffaries, as well as good Preachers, to know when and how to use the Power of remitting and retaining Sins, of bleffing the People, and of adminiftring the Christian Sacrifices aright. These things God expects indifpenfably from us, as well as Preaching, and of which let me fay to thofe, who as it were devote themfelves to the one, and neglect the other, these things ought ye to have done,and not to leave the other undone,That of the two, requires our Care at least as much as this, tho' it † 2 Cor. xiii. 14. is now so much diffused, chiefly I fear by the want of Pænitential Canons, which every Bishop of any Country may fupply in his own Diocefs, till the whole College can make pœnitential Canons for the Dioceffes of the National Church. I also thought to have made a Parænefis to the Candidates of the Priesthood, and the younger Clergy, not to begin their Study of Divinity with the Dutch Systems, fuch as Epifcopius, &c. but to begin with a diligent perufal of the Greek Teftament, which ought to be carefully read two or three times over, and thence to read downwards to the firft General Council of Nice, or if their Circumstances will not allow them to perufe thofe early Originals, then to read the Works of the best Divines of the Church of England, as of Hammond, Pearfon, Sanderson, &c. which will inftruct and fix them in true Principles, and pre1erve them from that Latitude, which hath corrupted Divinity to fuch a deplorable degree, and fet Men free from almost all the Doctrines of Chriftianity, and all the Principles which relate to the Church, as a Society, or as a Sect. But ftill I remember how I am confined, and therefore conclude with the Words of Hugo Floriacenfis, in the Prologue to his Book of the Sacerdotal Dignity: Veruntamen precor eos per eorum magnificentiam, ne eis fordefcat meum rufticum eloquium, fed malint veros, quam difertos audire fermones; caterum fcio quia tutius veritas auditur, quam prædicatur. Unde nunc deprecor omnes venerabiles præfules, & reliquos fanctæ Ecclefiæ Prælatos & Clericos fimul fenfatos, qui hæc lecturi funt, ne me prafumptorem judicent, aut temerarium, quafi ego eos in cathedris fedentes, & Divina philofophia arcana fcientes fuperbe coner inftruere. Non quafo, ita exiftiment, fed hæc pie & aquanimiter legant, atque fufcipiant. Opto enim & ut ipfi omnes venerabiles Patres, & Domini mei cotidie proficiant in Chrifto Jefu Domino noftro, & ut Ecclefia fanita corpus eorum temporibus ordine congruo corroboretur, & firmo pacis fœdere jugiter perfruatur. Amen. * Baluzii Mifcellan. lib. iv. p. II. Soli Deo Gloria. q * THE Following Letters. S. L. AN Objection to a Passage in Obje&ed that the Ministers of the Chriftian Church are not Priefts, because not fo called in the New This Objection made by fome late §. II. Priefts God's Vicegerents in the fame common Notion of Priests, Bishops and Presbyters as properly Priefts in the Chriftian Church, §. IV. Sacrifices not effential to the Tho' there were no Altar or Sacri- fice in the Chriflian Church, yet the Minifters of it as properly Priests as the Jewish were. p. 29 The there can be no facrificing with- out a Prieft, yet a Man may be a Priest without Sacrifice or Al- hood in the third and lowest Rank. P. 32 The Office of a Deacon Set forth at large. p. 36 S. VI. Minifters of Christ Altar- The Bread and Wine in the Eucharist called aeg,and groog, Gifts and Offrings, and the Minifters of the Gofpel προσενέκον les Ta deg Offerers or Sacrifi The fame Names which are given to the Levitical Priesthood are also given to the Minifters of Christ. P. 49 Mr. Mede's Explanation of the Chriftian Sacrifice. ibid. A Chriftian Altar and Sacrifice farther proved from Dr. Grabe, BiShop Bull, and the Authority of the first Reformers and Compofers of our Liturgy. p. 50 S. VIII. The Holy Eucharist farther prov'd a Sacrifice from the New Testament. p. 51 From Juftin Martyr, Eufebius, and ather ancient Writers, P. 54 And from the manner of its Celebration in our Church. p. 56 The Reafon given for this Affertion. P. 58 Dr. Outram's Definition of a Sacrifice examin'd, and Obje&tions rais'd from thence anfwer'd. p. 65 to 73 The Author's own Definition of a Sacrifice. P. 74 Another Objection, taken from the Opinion of Dr. Cudworth, an fwered, P. 75 Dr. Forbes's Defcription of the Lord's Supper. p. 87, 88 §. IX. Bishops and Presbyters prov'd Priests, out of the Writings of the New Testament. p. 89 No Man can exercife the Priest's Of fice without Sacrilege, unless authoriz'd by God. P. 94,95 §. XI. Chriftian Ministers proper Priests, proved from the Nature of their Office. p. 96 Priests in all Ages, Nations, and Religions, ever taken to be Mediators and Interceffors with the God whofe Priests they were. p. 97 Homer's Story of Apollo's Priest. ib. The Levitical and Evangelical p. 102 Priesthood compar'd. p. 101 An A&t of the Patriarchal Friesthood. Samuel's Priestly Interceffion for the People. p. 106 Several Defcriptions of the Jewish Priests. p. 107 §. XII. Chriftian Liturgs or Minifters farther prov'd Priests, as Mediators, Advocates, and Interceffors for the People p. 110 S.XIII. Several farther Arguments to prove the fame from Apoftolical Precept and Practice p. 114 St. Chryfoftom's Analogy between the Jewish and Evangelical Priests, p. 118 Farther continued by the Author. p.120 The Office of Benediction or Blessing peculiar to a Bishop or Priest. The fame Reasons why the Places fet apart at that time for the Chrifian Worship were not named the Temple, or House of God in the New Teftament. p. 138 §. II. Bishops, and Presbyters Ordained, and fo Named by the Apoftles. P. 142 And call'd by thofe Names foon after the Deflruction of Jerufalem. p. 143 One Principal Reason why not before that time left it might have obftructed the Conversion of the Jews. p. 145 For the fame Reason they comply'd with Temple Worship, and Mofaical Obfervances fo far as they could with Safety. p. 146 But when they rejected, and blafphem'd Jefus they broke of Communion with them, and shook off the Dust of their Feet against them. p. 149 5. 4. The Chriftian Priesthood not promulged till the Jewish was §. abolish'd, lest Altar should have appear'd against Altar, a thing deteftable in the Eyes of the very Heathens. p. ISI V. The foremention'd compliance of the Apostles,and their forbearing to affume to themselves the Title of Priests was probably by their Lord's Diretion. P. 152 Yet even during that Period, tho' they are not exprefly call'd Priests, yet they are jo call'd implicitly, and by Intimation. p. 155 §. VI. The Name Priest more familiarly used after the destruction of Jerufalem. p. 156 Reafons given why St. John (who wrote after that time) mentions neither the Name of Prieft nor Christian, either in his Revelation or Gospel. p. 158 The Analogy between the Angelical, and Priestly Office, and the fame Name used for both. P. 160 How Chriftian Ministers are to be confider'd as to their Priesthood and Prelacy, or Superiority over the People under the Names of Bishops, and Presbyters or the Priestly, and Prelatical Office diftinguifh'd. p. 163 Bishops styld Princes in Christ's Spiritual Dominions upon Earth. P. 166 The Conclufion a Prayer of St. Ambrofe. P. 174 |