All Bishops were not of this Bishop Gawden's mind; not that Bishop of Peterborough, who when he ordained many at one time, but then take notice, That he did ordain them as Presbyter. He spoke not without Reason; for no Ministerial Acts in the Church are valid, but such Acts as are performed by Ministers of Christ's, Institution. They who are Officers in the Church by Civil or Ecclesiastical Constitution, all their Acts as such, signify nothing. But his being a Bishop, and so superior to a Presbyter, was by no Institution of Christ, had only jus Humanum to Warrant his Authority, and therefore he did not ordain as such a Bishop, but as Presbyter. Two I know, Mr. Statham, (as I heard) and Mr. Samuel Smith, who were then Ordained: Mr. Smith spake of it often, what the Bishop said to them, and ••d them take notice of it: Had Mr. Smith lived till now, he had ⟨p. 7⟩been about 78 years of Age; suppose him to be Ordained about 25 years of Age, some by this may guess what the Name of that Bishop was about 58 years past. I have often thought of this; the meanest Officers in the Common-Wealth, be they Rum-bailiffs, Ale-Founders, yet they must have Law for their Office to Warrant their Actings: But that in the House of God there should be such as look upon themselves as the Chiefest Officers in the Church, and yet can show no Law from the Lord of the House to Warrant their Office; this is strange, what hath jus Humanum to do in the House of God? Is not the Wisdom of the Great God Sufficient to know what Officers to appoint in his House, but sinful Man must set up Officers, and supreme Officers too, without him? Thus Bishop Gawden told me; The Bishop is the Supreme Officer, [He should have said the Arch-Bishop] in the Church; you Presbyters are but the Pipe-staves, the Bishop is the Hoop that holds you together. An excellent similitude; I desired him to tell me who should be the Cooper to knock on this Hoop, I doubt (I told him) the Pope would swear by his Keys, that he must and will be the Cooper. And Bellarmin will maintain it by his Argument a Simili, &c. De Romano Pontif. mibi. 204. He told me moreover, you Presbyters are no more able to manage the Government of the Church of England, than David was able to wield' Saul's Armour.
All Bishops were not of this Bishop Gawden's mind; not that Bishop of Peterborough, who when he ordained many at one time, but then take notice, That he did ordain them as Presbyter. He spoke not without Reason; for no Ministerial Acts in the Church are valid, but such Acts as are performed by Ministers of Christ's, Institution. They who are Officers in the Church by Civil or Ecclesiastical Constitution, all their Acts as such, signifie nothing. But his being a Bishop, and so superior to a Presbyter, was by no Institution of Christ, had only jus Humanum to Warrant his Authority, and therefore he did not ordain as such a Bishop, but as Presbyter. Two I know, Mr. Statham, (as I heard) and Mr. Samuel Smith, who were then Ordained: Mr. Smith spake of it often, what the Bishop said to them, and ••d them take notice of it: Had Mr. Smith lived till now, he had ⟨p. 7⟩been about 78 years of Age; suppose him to be Ordained about 25 years of Age, some by this may guess what the Name of that Bishop was about 58 years past. I have often thought of this; the meanest Officers in the Common-Wealth, be they Rum-bailiffs, Ale-Founders, yet they must have Law for their Office to Warrant their Actings: But that in the House of God there should be such as look upon themselves as the Chiefest Officers in the Church, and yet can shew no Law from the Lord of the House to Warrant their Office; this is strange, what hath jus Humanum to do in the House of God? Is not the Wisdom of the Great God Sufficient to know what Officers to appoint in his House, but sinful Man must set up Officers, and supream Officers too, without him? Thus Bishop Gawden told me; The Bishop is the Supream Officer, [He should have said the Arch-Bishop] in the Church; you Presbyters are but the Pipe-staves, the Bishop is the Hoop that holds you together. An excellent similitude; I desired him to tell me who should be the Cooper to knock on this Hoop, I doubt (I told him) the Pope would swear by his Keys, that he must and will be the Cooper. And Bellarmin will maintain it by his Argument a Simili, &c. De Romano Pontif. mibi. 204. He told me moreover, you Presbyters are no more able to manage the Government of the Church of England, than David was able to wield' Saul's Armour.
