formerly Episcopal Consecration or Ordination.' This last expression, taken in conjunction with the fact that Roman Catholic Priests conforming to the Church of England are not re-ordained, determines the exclusive character of the Church's judgment on this point." (The italics are Mr. Bartholomew's.) So also Dr. Wordsworth. He quotes this Ordinal to prove, or to assist in proving, that the ministers of the Church of England "derive their commission from the Apostles," as well as to induce the belief that "the Church of England recognises none as having these orders (Bishops, Priests, and Deacons) except such as have received Episcopal Ordination." (T. A., p. 210.)

Now, if "Episcopal Consecration or Ordination" is to be taken in a general sense, then not only Roman Episcopacy, but Moravian, Scottish, Wesleyan, American Episcopacy, &c., cannot be consistently excluded. But such an interpretation is not, and will not be, we know, admitted. Then, either the language employed in the Ordinal is defective in explaining the views of its framers, or else it has a meaning different from that which has been so generally deduced from it. The question, then, resolves itself into this,

Does "Episcopal Consecration or Ordination" and the clause "or hath had formerly Episcopal Consecration or Ordination" refer to the Episcopacy of the Established Church of England only, or to Episcopacy of every section of the Church in which it may be acknowledged? That they have a limited and not an unlimited interpretation I shall now strive plainly to show.

It is a rule in the interpretation of all words occurring in a statute, the meaning of which is disputed, to find for them the explanation stated in the law. Now, nowhere can it be found that "Episcopal Consecration or Ordination" refers to any Episcopacy out of the Church of England, but it can be abundantly shown that these words apply exclusively to the Forms set forth in the Book of Common Prayer. This cannot be, perhaps, more conclusively and satisfactorily proved than by quoting the statute of 8 Eliz., c. 1, which is a declaration of the only manner Bishops have ever been recognised in the Reformed Church of England as true and lawful Bishops, and who alone have jurisdiction therein. The statute was set forth at a time when the authority of Bishops was, evidently, very generally impugned; hence the defence of

them. The statute, which I give entire, is as follows: :

“8 Eliz, c. 1. An Act declaring the manner of making and consecrating of the Archbishops of this Realm to be good, lawful, and perfect.

Doubts respecting the Consecration of Bishops, &c.

"Forasmuch as divers questions, by overmuch boldness of speech and talk among many of the common sort of people being unlearned, have lately grown upon the making and consecrating of Archbishops and Bishops within this realm, whether the same were and be duly and orderly done according to the law or not, which is much tending to the slander of all the state of the clergy, being one of the greatest states of this realm; therefore, for the avoiding of such slanderous speech, and to the intent that every man that is willing to know the truth, may plainly understand that the same evil speech and talk is not grounded upon any just matter or cause; it is thought convenient hereby partly to touch such authorities as doth allow and approve the making and consecrating of the same Archbishops and Bishops to be duly and orderly done according to the laws of this realm, and thereupon further to provide for the more surety thereof as hereafter shall be expressed: First, it is very well known to all degrees of this realm that the late King of most famous memory, King Henry the Eighth, as well as all the clergy then of this realm in their several Convocations, as also by all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, assembled by

divers of his Parliaments, was justly and rightfully recognised and acknowledged to have the supreme power, jurisdiction, order, rule, and authority over all the state ecclesiastical of the same, and the same power, jurisdiction, and authority did use accordingly; and that also the said late King, in the twenty-fifth year of his reign, did by authority of Parliament amongst other things set forth a certain order of the manner and form how Archbishops and Bishops within this realm and other his dominions should be elected and made, as by the same more plainly appeareth: and that also the late King, of worthy memory, King Edward the Sixth, did lawfully succeed the late King Henry his father in the Imperial Crown of this realm, and did justly possess and enjoy all the same power, jurisdiction, and authority before mentioned as a thing to him descended with the same Imperial Crown, and so now the same thing during his life and that also the said late King Edward the Sixth, in his time, by authority of Parliament, caused a godly and virtuous book, entitled 'The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies in the Church of England,' to be made and set forth; not only for one uniform order of service, common prayer, and the administration of sacraments to be used within this realm and other his dominions, but also did add and put to the same book a very good and godly order of the manner and form, how Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and Ministers should from time to time be consecrated, made, and ordered within this realm and other his dominions, as

by the same more plainly may and will appear: and although, in the time of the late Queen Mary, as well the said Act and statute made in the twenty-fifth year of the reign of the said late King Henry the Eighth, as also the several Acts and statutes made in the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth years of the reign of the said late King Edward, for the authorizing and allowing of the said Book of Common Prayer and other the premises, amongst divers other Acts and statutes touching the said supreme authority, were repealed, yet, nevertheless, at the Parliament holden at Westminster in the first year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady the Queen's Majesty that now is, by one other Act and statute there made all such jurisdictions, privileges, superiorities, and preeminences, spiritual and ecclesiastical, as by any spiritual or ecclesiastical power or authority hath heretofore been or may be lawfully used over the ecclesiastical state of this realm, and the order, reformation, and correction of the same, is fully and absolutely by the authority of the same Parliament united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this realm. And by the same Act and statute there is also given to the Queen's Highness, her heirs, and successors, Kings or Queens of this realm, full power and authority, by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of England, from time to time to assign, name, and authorize such person or persons as she or they shall think meet and convenient to exercise, use, occupy, and execute under her Highness, all manner of jurisdictions, privileges, preeminences, and authorities in any wise touching or