The hymn Veni Creator, which immediately follows, has been already noticed in the ordination of bishops. We find it to have been used at the ordination of priests, in some churches of France, seven hundred years ago, as manuscripts of that date, which contain it, are still in existence ".

The prayers and rites by which the ordination is actually perfected, now come before our view; but it is not my design to enter on the interesting field of discussion which they open. The validity of these forms has been satisfactorily proved; and it is impossible to examine ancient rites, without coming to the conclusion of Martene, Morinus, and all the most learned and judicious divines, that the imposition of hands, and prayers or benedictions, are the only essentials of valid ordination. Other rites have been added by different churches in the course of ages; but every church is at liberty to act for itself in this respect, provided nothing is done inconsistently with edification and Christian piety.

The prayer of ordination is not, as far as I perceive, so immediately derived from ancient formularies as some other parts of the service. It does not resemble that which is found in the sacramentary of Gelasius, nor in that of Gregory; and the similarity between it and that of the church of Constantinople is not so striking as to induce me to copy the latter. Perhaps it bears more affinity to the prayers used on this occasion in the rituals of the Egyptian and Syrian churches; yet it is not necessary to occupy space in transcribing them, for the

u

mani Codex, tom. ix. p. 123, &c.: Nestorianorum, Martene,

Martene, tom. ii. p. 396. ▾ Rituale Copt. Martene, tom. ii. p. 590; Syror. Asse- p. 570.

resemblance is not striking. In fact, every one of these formularies differs very much from the rest in ideas and expressions, though they are all intended for the same object.

The rubric directs those priests who are present to lay their hands, along with the bishop, upon the heads of those who receive ordination. This practice is peculiar to the western church, for in the east none but the bishop has ever laid hands on persons to be ordained. With us, however, the custom is ancient and canonical: for the fourth council of Carthage, which has been adopted generally in the west, gives particular directions on the point, which deserve comparison with our present rubric.

The rest of the service does not seem to require any particular notice; and I may refer the reader, for further information on the ordination of priests and deacons, to the Supplement of Nicholls's Commentary on the Common Prayer, where the similarity between our ordination service and the ancient rites and customs of the Church is traced with much learning.

CHAPTER XIII.

INTHRONIZATION OF BISHOPS.

INTHRONIZATION, in ancient times, immediately succeeded the rite of consecration; the new bishop being honourably placed in his episcopal chair by the prelates assembled for his consecration. This rite existed in the third or fourth century in the eastern church, as we find it prescribed in the Apostolical Constitutions. It was customary for bishops to preach sermons at their inthronization, and Bingham has cited several instances of this practice in the fourth and fifth centuries. Symeon of Thessalonica states, that the rite of inthronization was formerly celebrated with great solemnity by all the comprovincial bishops. In France it was customary, in the seventh century, and probably in the sixth. It is also comprised in the Pontifical of Egbert, Archbishop of York, 1000 years old.

For many ages inthronization was performed by bishops only, who assembled according to the ancient canons, to take part in the elections and consecrations of bishops; but in later ages, when it had become customary for bishops to be ordained, not in their own churches, but in the church of the metropolitan, the rite of inthronization was deputed, sometimes to particular bishops, and sometimes to the archdeacons of metropolitan sees. Thus, in France, the archdeacon of Rheims appears to have inthroned the bishops of that province; and, in the province of Canterbury, the archdeacon of that see has, for several ages, possessed the right of inthroning all the provincial bishops. A mandate for installing a bishop by archbishop Reynolds, A. D. 1325, recognizes this as an ancient privilege enjoyed by the archdeacon of Canterbury ".

h

With reference to the rites used at inthronization, they appear to have consisted most anciently in placing the bishop in his throne, and saluting him with a kiss of peace. In after-ages prayer was added, as in the Pontifical of Egbert. In later times Te Deum was sung, of which we have instances in the ordination of Gerald, Bishop of Limoges, in the eleventh century, and in other cases about the same time. In Pontificals of

f Gerald, bishop of Limoges in the eleventh century, was inthroned by two of the comprovincial bishops. Vide Chronicon Ademari Monachi S. Eparchii, apud Labbe, Bibliotheca MSS. Librorum, t. ii. p. 176. In the Roman Pontifical the bishop is inthroned by the consecrator and prin

cipal assistant bishop.

Martene, de Antiq. Eccl. Rit. lib. i. c. viii. art. x: § 19. h Gibson, Codex, Appendix, sect. i. art. xii.

i Chronicon Ademari Monachi, ut suprà.

* Vide Pontificale Romanum cum notis Catalani, tom. i. p. 221.