B I S 



(hopric only difTcn in this, that t'lere is no coiifecratian, 

 The ago ot a biii'op is to be a: icsft tiiirty years ; and, by 

 the ancient difc-iplin-, none were to be ciioitn but thofe 

 w'ho had pafil-d tlivpugh till the inferior orders j but, in 

 fome cafes of iiectfiity, tliii; was difpenfed with, and dea- 

 cons, nny l,nymi!i, y.erc raifcd fir falium to the epifcopal 

 dignity. 



Tlie form of confecratinj» a bifhop is different in different 

 churches. Ordiuarily, at lead three bifnops arc required in 

 the ceremony of confecrating a bifliop : but, in fome 

 cafes a fingle or.e migiit fiifiice. in the Greek church, 

 the candidate for the epilcopate, who is aUvays an ardnman- 

 date or hliroinachus, i. e. an abbot or chief monk in fome 

 monaftery, being named to the vacant fee, and the elcilion 

 being copfirmed, rcpHirs, at the time appointed, to the 

 church where tiie coufecration is to be performed. Being 

 arrived, he is introduced by the pr;>to-pope and proto- 

 deacon to tiic aiclibilhop and bifliops, who are arranged in 

 proper order on a temporary theatre or platform erected in 

 tlie church for tlie occafion. He tiiere gives an account of 

 his faith ; declares foicmnly that he has ntitlier given nor pro- 

 tnifcd money, or any bribe-worthy fervice, lor his dignity ; 

 and promifjs to adhere ftcat'.ily to the traditions and canons 

 of the eadern church, to vitit his diocefe regularly, and to 

 oppufe llrenuoufly all innovations and herelies, particularly 

 the errors of the Latin church. This being done, the arch- 

 bilhop fays, " The grace of the Holy Spirit, through my 

 humility, exalts thee N. archimandrite or hieromnchus, be- 

 loved of God, to be bifhop of the cities N. N. which God 

 preferve." With much ceremony the billiop eliSi. is then 

 conducted from tKe theatre, within the rails of the holy al- 

 tar, where he kneels down with the other bifliops, who 

 hold open over his head the holy gofpel with the letters 

 inverted, the archbifliop faying aloud, " The divine grace, 

 which always hcaleth our infirmities, and fupplieth our dc- 

 fefts, by my hand condudleth thee N. archimandrite or hie- 

 romachus, beloved of God, bilhop elect of the cities of 

 N. N. which God preferve 1 — Let us pray therefore for 

 him, that the grace of the moll Holy Spirit may come upon 

 him." Then the priefts fay thiice, " Lord have mercy 

 upon us;" and while the bifhops continue to hold the gof- 

 pel, the archbifhop frgns the newly confecratcd bifliop tlirice 

 ivith the fign of the crofs, faying, " In the name of the Fa- 

 ther, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, now and for ever, 

 even unto ages of ages. Amen." Tlien all the bifliops putting 

 their right liands on his head, the archbifliop prays that he 

 jmay be confirmed in the office of which they have judged him 

 worthy, that his priclthood may be rendered irreproachable, 

 and that he himfelf may be made holy and worthy to be 

 heard of God. After this, one of the alTifting bilhops 

 reads a fliori litany in a low voice, to be heard only by 

 thofe withm the altar, and the other bifhops make the re- 

 fponfes. At the end of the litany, the archbifliop, laying 

 his hand again upon the head of the newly confecraled 

 bifhop, prays in very decent and devout terms, that Chrift 

 will render him an imitator of himfelf, the true fhepherd ; 

 that he will make him a leader of the blind, a light to 

 thofe who walk in darknefs, and a teacher of infants ; that 

 he may (liine in the world, and receive at lail the great re- 

 ward prepared for thofe who contend boldly for the preach- 

 ing of the gofpel. After this the paftoral (laff is delivered 

 to the new bifnop, with a very propcrand fokmn exhorta- 

 tion from the arclil)ifhop, to feed the flock of Chrift com- 

 mitted to his care. King's Rites and Ceremonies of the 

 Greek Church. 



In the Romifli church, the bifliop eleift being prefcnted 

 by the eidci- aiTillant to the ccnfecraticn, takes the oath : 



B I S 



he Is then examined as to his faith ; and after feveral prayers* 

 the New Tellament is drawn over his head, and lie received 

 the ciirifni or luidion on his he^d. The paftoral itaff, 

 ring, and Gofpel, are then given hini ; and after commu- 

 nion, the mitre is put on his head : each ceremony being 

 accompanied with proper prayers, &c. the coiifecratio.i ends 

 with Te Deum. 



Tilt fe laft mentioned ceremonies are laid afide in the con- 

 fecration of Engl-lli bifhops. Neverthelefs, the book of 

 coiif-icration, compofed by the bifhops, and approved by 

 Edward VI. in the third ye;!r of his reign, and, two years 

 afterwards, confirmed by act of parliament, in which fome 

 of them are enjoined, is declared to be the itandard for this 

 purpofe by the thirty-fixth article. In queen Mary's reign 

 tiiii ait was repealed, and the book of common prayer, and 

 the book of ordination, were by name condemned. When 

 Elizabeth came to the throne, queen Mary's act was re- 

 pealed, and king Edward's prayer-book was again autho- 

 rized ; but the book of ordination was not exprefslv named, 

 becaufe it had been a part of the common prayer book ; and 

 therefore it was not thought neceffary to fpecify the office of 

 ordination any more than any other ofBce of the common 

 prayer book. But bifhop Bonner contended, that as the 

 book of ordination had been by name condemned in queen 

 Mai7's reign, and had not been fince revived by name, it 

 \va3 ftill condemned in law ; and, confequently, that all or- 

 dinations conferred according to that form, were illegal and 

 invalid. To obviate this objection, it was declared in a fub- 

 fequent felTion of parliament, that the office of ordination 

 was confidcred as part of the common prayer book ; and it 

 was farther declared, that all ordinations which had been 

 performed according to that office, were valid ; and upon 

 the fame principle a fimilar claufe was inferted in the 36tli 

 article. 



The funftion of a bifhop in England may be confidered 

 as two-fold ; viz. v.hat belongs to his order, and what be- 

 longs to his Jiinft/iSion. To the efijcopal order belong the 

 ceremonies of dedication, confirmation, and ordination ; to 

 the epifcopal jurifd'iliion, by the llatute law, belong the li- 

 cenfing of phyficians, furgeons, and fchooimaiters, the unit- 

 ing fmail parifhes (though this laft privilege is now peculiar 

 to the bilhop of Norwich), a.Tifting the civil magiilrate in 

 the execution of ftatutes relating to ecclefiaftical matters, 

 and compelling the payment of tenths and fubfidies due 

 from the clergy. 



By the common law, the bifhop is to certify the judges, 

 touching legitimate and illegitimate births and marriages ; 

 and by that and tlie ecclefiaftical law, he is to take care of 

 the probate of wills, and granting admiiiiftrations ; to col- 

 late to benefices, grant inltitntion on the prefentation of 

 other patrons, command induAion, order the collecting and 

 prefervnig the profits of vacant benefices for the ufe of the 

 fucceiTors, deferd the liberties of the church, and vifit his 

 diocefe once in three years. To the bilhop alio belonT fuf- 

 penfion, deprivation, depofition, degradation, and excom- 

 munication. 



The bifhops of England are all barons ; barons in a three- 

 fold manner ; viz. feudal, in regard of lards and baronies 

 annexed to their biflioprics ; by icrit, as being fui>>mored 

 by writ to pailiament ; and .lifo by potent and creation. 

 When William the cot-queror thought proper to change the 

 fpiritual tenure of frank-almoign, or free alms, under which 

 the bifhops held their lands during the Saxpn gcvernment, 

 into the feudal or Norman tenure by barony ; their eftates 

 were fubjtcted to all civil charges and afFcfTments, from 

 which they were before exempt ; and, in right of fuccf fiion 

 to thole baronies, which ■xcrs unaLenablc from their ref- 

 3 Qj! ' pedive 



