Whether They Are to Be Reputed the Ministers of Christ, Who Enter by Simony?

WHAT is here propoſed is a Caſe upon the Reſolution, whereof dependeth the Satisfaction and Tranquility of the Conſcience, both of the Prieſt and People, of the Paſtor and of his Flock, in reference to their reſpective Concerns in the Adminiſtration of the Miniſterial Duties. For, when he who by Simony hath procured an Entrance into the Sacred and Spiritual Office, receives Ordination, Collation, Inſtitution, and is inveſted with the Charge of a Flock, he Preacheth the Word, p. 123 he Adminiſtrateth the Sacraments, he Exerciſeth the Power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, he bindeth, he looſeth, and in a word, diſpenſeth all things that belong to the Miniſtery. The People ſee him clothed with Orders and Authority from the Church; and ſet over them as their Paſtor, from whoſe Hands they are invited, to expect thoſe Spiritual Benefits which God hath promiſed to convey to Souls by the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, in thoſe Divine Ordinances. Now, if he be the lawful Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, all is ſecure enough on both hands; he may confidently Exerciſe the Acts of the Evangelical Prieſthood, and by a good Title Adminiſter the Sacred Things belonging thereto; and they may confidently promiſe to themſelves, the gracious Effects of his Miniſtration. But p. 124 if he be not, then doth he but boldly uſurp, and intrude himſelf, and hath no right to Diſpenſe theſe Myſteries; and may expect as little Thanks from God for his medling,¹²⁰ as Saul had for preſuming upon a Burnt-Offering; and as Ʋzziah,¹²¹ for attempting to offer Incenſe in the Temple. Nor can the People derive any Spiritual Benefit from his Miniſtery, who never received what he pretends to give, and whoſe Adminiſtrations can have no more Vertue, than the Exorciſms of the Sons of Sceva.¹²²

1. 120. 1 Sam. 13.12, 13. [dropped from the edition]
2. 121. 2 Chron. 26.18, 19. [moved in the edition]
3. 122. Acts 19.14, 15, 16.

For the Reſolution of this Doubt, it is ſeriouſly to be conſidered, What it is that conſtitutes a Man in the Miniſterial Office. And I lay it down as a ſure Hypotheſis, uncontroverted amongſt the Orthodox, That Ordination (according to the Divine Rule of Eccleſiaſtical Oeconomy,) p. 125 is the ordinary Way and Means appointed by God, for Conſtituting of Men in any Degree of the Sacred Hierarchy, and for Conſecrating them to the Prieſtly Office in the Church, and making them the Miniſters of Chriſt; and that thereby, Authority and Power is conveyed upon the Perſon thus Conſecrated, of Dipenſing the Myſteries of the Goſpel, and Adminiſtring the Ordinances of God. Wherefore, we muſt conſider, That in Ordination there is a Divine Spiritual Power and Authority, and there is a Miniſterial Eccleſiaſtical Seal. And, howſoever this Power and Authority be conveyed by the hands of Man, as the external Agent and Inſtrument in conferring the Eccleſiaſtical Seal, yet theſe external Rites of Ordination perform’d by Man, do not give the Power, but are only p. 126 Declarative of that Spiritual Power and Grace which is deriv’d from God alone, and flows from the influence of his Bleſſed Spirit, as the Internal and Principal Author and Efficient, upon the Perſon call’d by him thereto. And therefore, Dionyſius Areopagita (or whoſoever elſe is the Author of The Eccleſiaſtical Hierarchy,) ſays of the Perſon that confers Orders, That he is but Ἐξαγγελεύς, The Proclaimer, or, Declarer of the Divine Election;¹²³ Who (ſays he,) by his own Gift, doth not advance thoſe who are Conſecrated unto the Honour or Power of Eccleſiaſtical Order: This he aſcribes only to God, whom he calls there Τελεστάρχου, The Prince of Conſecration, or, chief Ordainer; and pleads the Authority of Jeſus Chriſt, for aſcribing this Power to God alone, and his Holy Spirit. p. 127

1. 123. De Eccleſ. Hier. Cap. 9.

Nor can it be rationally ſuppos’d to be otherwiſe; for, if a Spiritual Power be neceſſary, (as is undeniable,) to the Miniſtration of Spiritual and Sacred Things, then this Power can be derived from no other Fountain than the Divine Spirit: And therefore did our Lord and Saviour, both by his Words and Actions, intimate the ſame, to flow from him upon the Perſons of his Apoſtles, whilſt at the giving of their Commiſſion, he told them, That the Authority and Power which he tranſmitted unto them, was but an emanation of that Power which he had received from above, ſaying,¹²⁴ All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth; go ye therefore, and teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt. And,¹²⁵ As my Father hath ſent me, ſo ſend p. 128 I you: And when he had ſaid this, he breathed on them, and ſaith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghoſt: Whoſeſoever’s Sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whoſeſoever’s Sins ye retain, they are retained. And telling them,¹²⁶ Ye ſhall receive Power, after that the Holy Ghoſt is come upon you: And ye ſhall be Witneſſes unto me, both in Jeruſalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermoſt Parts of the Earth: Whereby he meaneth, That they have both the ἐξουσίαν, and the δύναμιν, both the Authority and the Power of their Miniſtery from the Holy Ghoſt. And not only did our Saviour aſcribe this unto him, in the Perſons of theſe extraordinary Miniſters, whom he immediately Ordained, and ſent forth; but the Apoſtle Paul aſcribes it alſo to him in the Perſons of the ordinary Paſtors p. 129 of the Church, who were Called and Ordained mediately by the Hands of Men, ſaying unto them,¹²⁷ Take heed unto your ſelves, and unto all the Flock, over which the Holy Ghoſt hath made you Overſeers.

1. 124. Matth. 28.18, 19. [moved in the edition]
2. 125. Joh. 20.21, 22, 23. [moved in the edition]
3. 126. Acts 1.8. [moved in the edition]
4. 127. Acts 20.28. [moved in the edition]

Wherefore, from ſo clear Premiſſes, we cannot but conclude, That to a right and ſufficient Ordination, to conſtitute a Man a true Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, and to endow him with a lawful Miniſterial Power, there muſt be with the external Inſtrument a concurrence of the internal Principal Efficient; as it was in the Out-ſending of Barnabas and Saul, who received their Power and Authority from God, and the external Seal thereof from the Church; the Holy Ghoſt gives the Command, and calls them,¹²⁸ and their Brethren gave them Impoſition of Hands. And therefore, Ambroſe propoſeth the p. 130 Queſtion,¹²⁹ Who gives the Gift or Grace of Ordination? And he anſwered, Sine dubio, Deus; without doubt, God; Sed tamen (ſays he,) per hominem dat Deus; but notwithſtanding, God gives it by Man: Homo imponit manus, Deus largitur gratiam: Sacerdos imponit ſupplicem dextram; & Deus benedicit potenti dextra: Man lays on the Hands, God beſtows the Grace: The Prieſt lays on the right Hand of Prayer, and God bleſſeth with the right Hand of Power. And without this, the external Seal Adminiſtred by the Hands of Men, ſignifies, nothing.

1. 128. Acts 13.2, 3. [moved in the edition]
2. 129. Lib. De Dignit. Sacerdot. Cap. 5. [moved in the edition]

Hence then the Collection is eaſie, and the Concluſion evident, That he who enters by by Simony upon the Sacred Office, is not to be reputed a true and lawful Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt; becauſe, though he p. 131 have the external Seal from the Hands of Man, it is but inſignificant, in regard he hath not received the internal Grace from the Hands of God: For, whilſt he comes not thereto by any Divine Call or Warrant, but inintrudes by Money and Bribes, the Holy Ghoſt gives not his concurrence to confer the Spiritual Power and Authority: And therefore of ſuch one, ſays Ambroſe,¹³⁰ Per pecuniam acquiſivit indebitum Ordinem, & Deum perdidit in interiori homine: By Money he hath acquir’d Orders he had no right to, and he hath loſt God in the inward Man.

1. 130. Ibid. [moved in the edition]

And he ſhews at length, how no Grace nor Good is conferr’d by ſuch an Ordination. But, to put the Matter quite out of doubt, we have the Teſtimony of the Holy Ghoſt himſelf, witneſſing, That Simoniacal Perſons are not to be p. 132 reckoned amongſt the Miniſters of Chriſt; for behold, what upon this account he ſaith by Simon Peter to Simon Magus, Thou haſt neither part nor lot in this matter:¹³¹ And ſo, neither can his Diſciples have any ſhare in the Miniſtery. And from out of the number of his Miniſters, doth our Saviour himſelf plainly exclude thoſe who come in by Windows, or Poſterns, or oblique Paſſages; and that under a very bad Character, ſaying, Verily,¹³² verily, I ſay unto you, he that entereth not in by the door, into the Sheep-fold, but climbeth up ſome other way, the ſame is a Thief, and a Robber. And I’m ſure, none dare ſay, That they who climb up by the Ladder of Simony, do enter in by the Door. And what are they to be reputed then? Not the true Paſtors or Miniſters of Chriſt, but Thieves and Robbers; p. 133 and that juſtly ſo, ſince they imitate ſuch in their way of Entrance. And therefore have the Canons of the Church been very ſtrict, in debarring ſuch from the Miniſtery of Holy Things; becauſe they cannot ſay with the Apoſtle,¹³³ I thank Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, — that he hath counted me faithful, putting me into the Miniſtery: For Chriſt hath not put them in, but they have thruſt in themſelves, and ſo are no Miniſters of his.

1. 131. Acts 8.21.
2. 132. Joh. 10.1. [moved in the edition]
3. 133. 1 Tim. 1.12. [moved in the edition]

The Caſe ſtanding thus, it may give juſt occaſion to enquire, What Effect then can ſuch a one’s Miniſtery have upon People? For, ſeeing God, who is the Fountain of Grace, hath made his Ordinances the Channels and Conduits, whereby the Graces of his Spirit are convey’d; if theſe Ordinances in the hand of ſuch an Inſtruſtrument, p. 134 (who is not the lawful Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, to whoſe Ordination the Holy Ghoſt hath not concurred, nor given any Power, Authority, or Warrant to Adminiſter the ſame;) ſhall produce theſe Spiritual Effects for which they are deſign’d; then is there no great neceſſity of a diſtinct Order of ſuch Perſons, as Prieſts or Miniſters in the Church, upon whom People are to depend, or wait for the Diſpenſation of theſe Sacred Myſteries, ſince they may reap the ſame Fruits and Effects thereof from his Miniſtration who is no Miniſter of Chriſt: And ſo, they may as well wait for theſe Bleſſings from the Performance of every rude Artificer and bold Mechanick, who liſts to ſtep up into the Pulpit, and dip his hand in the Sacred Font, and approach to the Holy Altar, and p. 135 to aſſume the Power of Adminiſtring all the Holy Ordinances of the Goſpel, as well as from his Miniſtery who is Conſecrated, and ſet apart thereto, by the Rites of Ordination and Power of the Holy Ghoſt. And, upon the other hand, If the Simoniacal Entrance of ſuch a one, render his Ordination ineffectual, ſo as his Adminiſtrations ſhall have no Efficacy for the production of thoſe Graces and Bleſſings for which God hath deſign’d the Miniſtery of the Goſpel; to what pitiful Condition and hard Straits are the People, over whom he is ſet, reduc’d unto upon his account! And what Scruples it may breed in them, in reference to his Adminiſtrations; and what Doubts it may make them wreſtle under, in reference to their own Spiritual State and Condition; and what woful p. 136 Conſequences may follow thereupon, what conſidering Man may not eaſily apprehend!

If, for determining the Matter of this Enquiry, we will take the Opinion of Gregory the Great; he is very confident in concluding the abſolute ineffectiveneſs and invalidity of ſuch a one’s Miniſtery, ſaying, Quicunque Sacros Ordines vendunt & emunt,¹³⁴ Sacerdotes eſſe non poſſunt, Ʋnde Scriptum eſt, Anathema Danti, Anathema Accipienti, &c. Whoſoever ſell and buy Holy Orders, cannot be Prieſts; hence it is that it’s written, Curſed be the Giver, Curſed be the Receiver: This is Simoniacal Hereſie. How then, if they be a Curſe, and not Saints themſelves, can they ſanctifie others? And, ſeeing they are not in the Body of Chriſt, how can they either deliver or receive his p. 137 Body? He who is Curſed, how can he Bleſs?

1. 134. Apud Gratian, Cauſ. 1. Qu. 1. Can. Quicunque Sacros. [moved in the edition]

But how far ſoever we may go along with him, as to the ineffectiveneſs of ſuch a one’s Miniſtration; yet, in ſo far as he builds the ſame upon Arguments, whereby it would follow, That the Efficacy of the Miniſtery ſhould depend upon the Grace or Sanctity of the Inſtrument, we cannot comply with him therein; the Conſequence being dangerous, and ſuch as may ſeem to ſavour too much of the Leaven of the Donatiſts, Luciferians, and Apoſtolici, &c. contrary to the received Doctrine of the Catholick Church, and refuted by ſeveral of the Antients, as Auguſtine, Optatus Milevitanus, Jerome, and many others; ſhewing, That it doth not prejudice the Increaſe, whether he that ſoweth, do it with polluted or with pure hands, p. 138 if ſo be the Seed be good, and the Soil be fertile, and the Influence of the Clouds and Heavens not reſtrained: And the Houſe may receive Light by the Taper which ſhines from an earthen as well as from a golden Candleſtick. And if there were no good to be reaped by the Miniſtery of wicked Men, but that the Miniſtrations of unſanctified Perſons were altogether ineffectual, Chriſt would never have commanded People to hear the Scribes and Phariſees;¹³⁵ nor would he have ſent forth Judas amongſt the Twelve,¹³⁶ to gather in the loſt Sheep of the Houſe of Iſrael; of whoſe Miniſtery we hear no leſs Effects than of the reſt. Nay, he tells plainly, that many Reprobates in the Great Day, ſhall plead the Effects of their Miniſtery,¹³⁷ ſaying, Lord, Lord, have we not Propheſied in p. 139 thy Name, and in thy Name caſt out Devils, and in thy Name done many wonderful Works? To whom he will ſay, Depart from me ye that work Iniquity. And if the pravity of the Inſtrument ſhould render the Work ineffectual,¹³⁸ it ſhould have been no matter of rejoicing to Paul, that Chriſt was Preached by ſuch, who Preached him out of Envy and Contention, and not ſincerely. But whilſt he ſays,¹³⁹ We have this Treaſure in earthen Veſſels, that the excellency of the Power may be of God, and not of us; he will have us to underſtand, That the Efficacy of the Goſpel depends not upon the Inſtrument, but upon the Author, who can render a Bleſſing effectual as well from the Mouth of Balaam, as from the Mouth of Aaron; and can waſh a Soul from Sin, as well by the Baptiſm p. 140 of Judas, as of John: For he may have gratiam gratis datam, who hath not gratiam gratum facientem; he may be endowed with the grace of Edification to ſave others, who hath not the grace of Sanctification to ſave himſelf. But all this while, we ſpeak of thoſe whom we ſuppoſe to have Authority by a lawful Miniſter to diſpenſe the Myſteries of the Goſpel.

1. 135. Matth. 23.2, 3.
2. 136. Matth. 10.5, 6.
3. 137. Matth. 7.22, 23. [moved in the edition]
4. 138. Philip. 1.15, 18. [moved in the edition]
5. 139. 2 Cor. 4.7. [moved in the edition]

But the matter of our preſent Enquiry, concerning the Efficacy of his Miniſtrations who enters by Simony, proceeds upon another Hypotheſis; to wit, That ſuch a one is not the Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt; and this being already prov’d, we cannot but approve of Gregory’s Poſition, That Quicunque Sacros Ordines vendunt & emunt, Sacerdotes eſſe non poſſunt: Whoſoever ſell and buy Holy p. 141 Orders, cannot be Prieſts. And upon this ground we muſt proceed to Determine in this Matter.

Now, upon this account, it hath not only been much queſtion’d by ſome, Whether any Spiritual Bleſſing or Benefit can be deriv’d from the Miniſtery of ſuch; but it hath been confidently aſſerted, not only by Gregory, but by many others, That the Miniſtrations of ſuch are altogether ineffectual, and can confer no good, nor tranſmit any Spiritual Grace or Bleſſing. Whereupon, Gratian hath adopted it amongſt the Decrees of the Canon Law, Gratia, ſi non gratis datur,¹⁴⁰ vel accipitur, gratia non eſt: Simoniaci autem, &c. Grace, if it be not freely given or received, is not Grace; but Simoniacal Perſons receive it not freely; therefore, they receive not p. 142 that Grace which principally hath its Operation in Eccleſiaſtical Orders: (That is, The Miniſterial Grace, or Power;) And if they do not receive it, they have it not; and if they have it not, neither freely, nor not freely, can they give it unto any Man.

1. 140. Cauſ. 1. Qu. 1. Can. Gratia, &c. [moved in the edition]

And it ſeems indeed to be aſſerted upon good grounds: For,

Firſt, If ſuch Perſons (as is ſhewed before,) be not the lawful Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, then have they no Title, nor Right to diſpenſe the Ordinances of the Goſpel, which Chriſt hath intruſted only to his Miniſters,¹⁴¹ to whom alone he hath conſigned the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and committed the Miniſtery of Reconciliation, as his Ambaſſadours, as ſays the Apoſtle: So that when they preſume to meddle with p. 143 theſe Holy Myſteries, they do but ſacrilegiouſly uſurp, without Authority from God, and ſo do diſpenſe them in vain, and with an ineffective Hand; the bare external Seal of Ordination by the hands of Man, without the concurrence of the Divine Power, being of no force to work theſe Effects, which are the proper Emanations of the Holy Ghoſt; ſo that their Adminiſtrations can be no more valid, than a Remiſſion to a guilty Perſon from his Hand, who had ſurreptitiouſly affix’d the King’s Seal thereto, and without his Royal Conſent or Authority, had uſurped the Office of an Herauld to proclaim it. And therefore, it was not a groundleſs Debate wherewith the Church of Rome was troubled for ſeveral Years, in the time of Leo IX. Whether Ordinations conferr’d by ſuch Simoniacal p. 144 Uſurpers, were effectual? Or, Whether they ſhould be Re-Ordain’d who had been Ordain’d by them? And howſoever, Petrus Damiani wrote his Book, call’d Gratiſſimus, againſt thoſe who pleaded for Re-Ordination: And Leo in two ſeveral Councils at Rome,¹⁴² allowed thoſe who had been Ordained by ſuch, to continue in their Office, after the doing of Forty days Penance; yet, this ſeems to have been but of Indulgence, and to have proceeded rather from Neceſſity than Choice; in reſpect of the Tumult that was raiſed thereabout, and in regard that a more ſtrict Courſe would have occaſion’d the Silencing of an infinite number of the Clergy, and the laying waſte ſuch a multitude of Churches, as many Territories ſhould have been without the ſound of the Goſpel, p. 145 to the great prejudice of the Chriſtian Religion; as may appear by the ſame Petrus Damiani’s Epiſtle to Henry Arch-Biſhop of Ravenna. And yet, I think Leo did right, not to Reordain them; but rather, upon their Repentance, to re-inveſt them with better Authority in the Exerciſe of their Office, ſince they had once received Orders, how ineffective ſoever, through the want of the Divine Concurrence with a Simoniacal Ordainer; yet, the Church having by the external Seal of Ordination, once inveſted ſuch a one with an Eccleſiaſtical Authority, to tranſmit the ſame unto others; it had not been convenient, that the Church ſhould have call’d the Character of her own Ordination in queſtion: Neither needed they who had receiv’d the ſame from the hand of ſuch, but the p. 146 Church’s Approbation, for their Adminiſtration; and devout Addreſſes to God, for the Power of the Holy Ghoſt to render it effectual. And therefore ſays the Canon Law,¹⁴³ Simoniacos non Simoniace à Simoniacis Ordinatos, miſericorditer per Manûs Impoſitionem, pro temporis neceſſitate, in officio concedimus permanere: Thoſe whom we account Simoniacks, becauſe of their Ordination by Simoniacal Perſons, but have not practiſed Simony themſelves; we do, by the Impoſition of Hands, graciouſly give them leave to continue in their Office, through the neceſſity of Time.

1. 141. Matth. 19.16. Joh. 20.23. 2 Cor. 5.18, 20. [moved in the edition]
2. 142. Concil. Tom. 3. p. 2. [moved in the edition]
3. 143. Apud Grat. Cauſ. 1. Qu. 1. Can. Statuimus Decret. [moved in the edition]

Whereby it appears, That it was not thought fit to Re-ordain ſuch, but only confirm their former Ordination by Impoſition of Hands, without more Rites of Conſecration of new again.

Secondly, It being undeniable, that the whole Efficacy of the Miniſtery depends upon God, and that the Spiritual Effects thereof flow wholly from that Power wherewith he doth indow and inable Men to Adminiſter in the Myſteries of the Goſpel, and from the Concourſe of his Holy Spirit with them therein: (For,¹⁴⁴ The excellency of the Power is of God, and not of Man;¹⁴⁵ Neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth any thing, but God that giveth the Increaſe:) It will then undoubtedly follow, That the external Rites of Ordination can tranſmit no Vertue or Efficacy into his Miniſtery who receives the ſame without the Call, and concurrence of the Holy Ghoſt, and without any promiſe of Divine Influence upon his Adminiſtrations. Now, that he who enters p. 148 by Simony upon the Paſtoral Office, is deſtitute of theſe, may be evident without much arguing: For, who can ſuppoſe that he is Call’d of God, or that the Holy Ghoſt hath given Authority to his Ordination, who hath procur’d the ſame by ſiniſter means, ſince our Saviour hath told us, that ſuch are but Thieves and Robbers,¹⁴⁶ who have not entered in by him who is the Door? Or, upon what Warrant or Promiſe can he ſtep out to Officiate in that Function, in hope of any gracious Succeſs, of whom the Holy Ghoſt doth witneſs, That he hath neither part,¹⁴⁷ nor lot in this matter; and whom for his execrable Merchandiſe, the Lord would have ſcourged out of his Temple? And whereas, God hath ſaid of ſuch as do unwarrantably uſurp, and thruſt themſelves upon ſuch an Imployment, without p. 149 his Commiſſion or Command, I ſent them not,¹⁴⁸ nor commanded them; therefore they ſhall not profit this People at all, ſaith the Lord: What Fruit or Effect then, what Bleſſing or Benefit, can be expected from his hands, to whom God hath given no Commiſſion, upon whom the Spirit of God hath not deſcended in Ordination, and over whom he hovers not in his Adminiſtrations, to render them productive of theſe Graces which he hath deſign’d his Ordinances to work by the Miniſtery of the Goſpel?

1. 144. 2 Cor. 4.7. [moved in the edition]
2. 145. 1 Cor. 3.7. [moved in the edition]
3. 146. Joh. 10.
4. 147. Acts 8. [moved in the edition]
5. 148. Jer. 23.32. [moved in the edition]

But what then ſhall become of the Flock, over which he is ſet?

To this I ſay, That truly I look upon it as one of the ſaddeſt Diſpenſations that can befall a People, to be given over p. 150 to the Charge of a Simoniacal Perſon: For, ſince the Prieſt’s Miniſtery is the Inſtrument of conveying all the Bleſſings which are annexed to the Adminiſtration of the Evangelical Ordinances, What can be thought, but that God hath a Controverſie with that People, whom he gives up to the Conduct of thoſe from whom they can derive none of theſe Bleſſings? But in this Caſe, as divers Perſons may in the ſame Flock, have different Perſuaſions about it; ſo muſt we cautiouſly diſtinguiſh and difference them, according to their various Sentiments thereof. There may be ſome, to whom the Simony of ſuch a Paſtor is notorious and and known, but reflected upon by them with Grief and Regret: There may be others who know it, and yet do willingly comply with him: And p. 151 there may alſo be many, who are altogether ignorant thereof.

Firſt, To thoſe who know a Paſtor to have conveyed himſelf in upon them by Simoniacal Means, and are griev’d that they ſhould be given over to ſuch a hopeleſs Miniſtery, I ſay; it highly concerns them, to ſearch into the Cauſe of God’s Controverſie with them; and it is like, they ſhall find it to be ſuch as provoked God of old, to give over his People to the like Judgment, to the ſeduction of falſe and treacherous Prophets, and of covetous and careleſs, cruel and fooliſh Shepherds and Watchmen; to wit, becauſe they deſpiſed his Word, and were diſobedient and rebellious to the Voice of his faithful Meſſengers;¹⁴⁹ as may appear from Micah, Zephaniah, Zechariah, and others of the p. 152 Prophets. And it is no doubt, People’s contempt of the Goſpel, and unfruitfulneſs under the Labours of faithful Paſtors, that provokes God to remove ſuch from them, and to give them over to ſuch Thieves, and Robbers, and Hirelings, whoſe Miniſtery can do them no good. And therefore, the only counſel I can give to thoſe in ſuch a condition, is, ſeriouſly to reflect upon, and with Sorrow to be humbled in the ſight of God for this Sin, and by ſtrict Bonds to devote themſelves for the future, to a greater love and regard of the Goſpel, to a more reverend eſteem of, and obedience unto faithful Miniſters, and to a better improvement of the Means of Grace. This is the moſt hopeful Means and Method I know, for a ſpeedy removal of this Judgment, and for reſcuing them from that p. 153 Snare whereinto their Sins have intangled them.

1. 149. Mic. 2.6, 11. and 3.6, 7, 11. Zeph. 3.4. Zech. 11.16.

Secondly, As for thoſe to whom this Simoniacal Entrance of ſuch a one into the Miniſterial Charge is known, and yet by them a ready compliance yielded unto him; not only ſhall his Adminiſtrations prove to ſuch ineffectual; but by their conſent and compliance therein, they involve themſelves in the guilt of his ſinful Practices, whilſt thus they have fellowſhip with the unfruitful work of Darkneſs, and ſeeing his Spiritual Theft, do conſent unto him; a Sin evidently condemned,¹⁵⁰ both by the Pſalmiſt of Iſrael, and the Apoſtle of the Gentiles. And upon this account, Aquinas concludes, That none ſhould Communicate with him in the execution of his Orders, nor accept p. 154 of Ordination from his hand who is known to be promoted by Simony; whilſt he ſays, Quod ille qui Simoniace recipit Sacrum Ordinem,¹⁵¹ &c. That he who Simoniacally receives Holy Orders, he receives indeed the Character of Order, in regard of the Efficacy of that Sacrament; yet notwithſtanding, he receives neither the Grace, nor the Execution of that Order: And that, becauſe he hath ſurreptitiouſly, or by theft, taken the Character, or Seal, contrary to the Will of the Principal Lord; and therefore, he ſtands juſtly Suſpended, both as to himſelf, to wit, That he do not meddle with the Execution of his Order; and as to others, to wit, That none Communicate with him in the Execution thereof.

1. 150. Pſal. 50.18. Eph. 5.11.
2. 151. Thom. 22ae. Qu. 100. Art. 6. [moved in the edition]

Nay farther, he ſays,¹⁵² That Nec propter praeceptum p. 155 ejus, nec propter Excommunicationem, &c. Neither for his Command, nor for the Thunderbolts of his Excommunication, ſhould any Man be moved to receive Ordination from his hands whom he knows to have been Advanced in a Simoniacal Way. And all this he aſſerts, both upon the account of the want of Efficacy in ſuch a one’s Adminiſtrations, and in regard of the unlawfulneſs to Communicate with him in Sin.

1. 152. Loco ſup. cit. [moved in the edition]

But, Thirdly, To thoſe who are altogether ignorant of, and unacquainted with the Simoniacal Practices, whereby he who bears the Name of their Paſtor hath entred into that Function; my Charity leads me to judge, That, though ſuch a one be not the lawful Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, yet the p. 156 Ordinances of the Goſpel Adminiſtred by him, may prove effectual unto them; whilſt, attending thereto with an innocent and religious Devotion, out of a pious Obedience unto God’s Command, and an holy Reverence to theſe Sacred Myſteries, they do in the ſimplicity of their Hearts communicate therein, as ſuppoſing them Adminiſtred by a lawful Authority. But, what Benefit they derive thence, is not by Vertue of his Miniſtery, but out of a paternal Indulgence, and reſpect to their pious. Intentions; whereby it comes to paſs, That, as God oft times gives Rem Sacramenti, ſine Sacramento, the Matter of the Sacrament, without the Sacrament; ſo he may be pleaſed to convey Effectum Miniſterii ſine Miniſtro, the Effect of the Miniſtery, and the Bleffing of his Ordinance, tho’ p. 157 he be no true Miniſter that diſpenſeth it; without regard to whom, God doth oft times concur with his own Ordinances, and maketh them produce bleſſed Effects, as the Reward of a private Piety, and as the Returns of the Prayers of the Saints of ſuch a Congregation offered up with pure Hands and Hearts, and of the Interceſſions of the Catholick Church, which She daily putteth up in the behalf of all Her Members. For, He who hath ſaid,¹⁵³ Where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midſt of them: And,¹⁵⁴ that the effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous Man availeth much: And,¹⁵⁵ that to the Ʋpright, there ariſeth Light in Darkneſs: He who hath ſaid ſo, and made theſe, and many other gracious Promiſes to his Church, and to the Prayers p. 158 of his Saints, and to the Devotion of the Upright, will not fruſtrate them of the Fruits of their Religious Performances, upon the account of his Adminiſtration, whoſe Guilt in intruding upon the ſame, is none of theirs, whilſt they do not Communicate with him therein, either by Knowledge, Connivance, or Conſent.

1. 153. Matth. 18.20. [moved in the edition]
2. 154. James 5.16. [moved in the edition]
3. 155. Pſal. 112.4. [moved in the edition]

And this is all I can warrantably ſay to this purpoſe.