450 osn?ss. (Boo? II. at all 'times an ?levated office, transcends ?n the new 'law all others in �dignity. The power of consecrating and offering the body and blood of our Lord, and of remitting sins, with which the priesthood of the new law is invested, is such as cannot be comprehended by the human mind, still less is it equalled by, or assimilated to, any thing on earth," p. 283. Speaking on the e?t?nt of t12 power conferred on the ministers, the Catechism says, "This power is twofold, of jurisdiction, and of orders: the power of orders has reference to the body of our Lord Jesus Christ in the holy eucharist, that of jurisdiction to his mystical body, the church; for to this latter belong the government of his spirituM king- dom on earth, an& the direction of the faithfid in the way of salvation. In the power of orders is includes not only that of consecrating the holy eucharist, but also of preparing the soul for its worthy reception, nn? whatever else has reference to the sacred mysteries," p. 285. The Catechism in the next page adds: "The power with which the Christian priesthood is clothed, is a heavenly power, raised above that of angels: it has its source not in the Levitical priesthood, but in Christ the Lord--he it is who, endowed with supreme authority to grant pardon and grace, has bequeathed this power to his church, power limited, however, in its extent, and attached to the sacraments." From the foregoing, the reader will perceive that the powers with which the Roman clergy are presumed to be invested are very exten- sive. They are said to be commissioned by God, representatives of God, above angels, have the power of transforming bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, have the government of the church solely in their hands, can gra?t pardon and grace, though confined to ?e administration of the sacraments. But this limit is almost or alto- gether so limit at all; for the administration of the sacraments is com- .pierely in the power of the clergy. By this means the priesthood possesses all spiritual power by delegation from God, so that pardo? of sins, increase of grace, and preparation for heaven, can be obtained only through their immediate instrumentality ! Hence they are said "to administer the sacraments, the sources of grace," p. 285. II. TI2 number of orders. 1. The Church of Rome makes many orders of clergy. The Council of Trent on tli'-is subject, in the twenty-third session, chapter second, says, "As the ministry of so exalted a priesthood is a divine thing, it was meet, in order to surround it with the greater dignity and veneration, ?hai. iu the admirable economy of the church, there should be several distinct orders of ministers, intended by their office to serve the priesthood, and so disposed, as that, beginning at the clerical tonsure, they may ascend gradually through the lesser to the greater orders. For sacred Scriptures make express mention of deacons as well as priests, and instruct us in very serious language respecting thos? things which are to be specially regarded in their ordination; and fro? the beginning of the church, the names and appropriate duties of following orders am known to h?ve been in use, viz., sub-deaeon? ?colytes, exorcists, readers, and porters. Although they am not all equal rank--for sub-deacons are placed among the greater orders b the fathers and holy oouncils, in which also we very frequently res of other inferior orders"-the councfi in the second canon of the oamo I 29 �oitized i0� Google
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