?-?JAP. X�.] OIDBIS. 5. These offices are much degenerated from their use in the talclent church. They are all only waiters at the celebration of mass, which was unknown to primitive Christianity. At that time the exorcists had the p?.culiar grace of God to cast'out devils: now they read only certain exorcLsms in books. Then the readers only read Scripture, now they read legends of saints. Then, in time of persecution, when Christians assembled in the night, the waiters had the charge of lighting candles; but now they light them at noonday. 6. These offices have not been in use many years among them; for many times the sexton or his4)oy execute8 all the duties of the minor order8. Nor are these offices retained among them for any special service, but as preparatory steps to the priesthood. As it regards the voice of antiquity it is against these orders, as they* now.stand in the Church oi 7. If the orders are ?r.?tf?zrly considered, they will be found to have no authority from ?cripture to make them orders in the church.t VIII. A few remarks may be proper here, to show that orders is not a sacrament. 1. They assert that orders confir 8?'ac?. In support of this the fol- lowing passage of Scripture is quoted: "Despise not that gift which tvas given thee through prophecy, with the laying on of hands," 1 Tim. iv, 14. An.?0er. It cannot be proved out of this place that imposition of hands giveth grace: for this was an extraordinary gift which St. Paul speaks of here, and which does not alway8 follow imposition of hands: for all on whom hands were laid received not the Holy Ghost. Besides, imposition of hands in ministerial appointment is very diff*er- ent from the same ceremony in cont'erring extraordinary spiritual gifts. In the case of appointment to the ministry, hands were laid on rsons because they had the grace of the Holy Spirit already, as was ? case with the seven deacons; who were required to be men full of faith and the Holy Ghost, tJ?tt they might, lawfully be set apart to their deacon- ship by laying on of hands. Fhe grace whi.ch Timothy had seem plainly to be of this description. But if it was an extraordinary gift, received by the imposition of hands, then it was not a ministerinl gift properly so called. 2. They say, "The deaconship is a sacrament because it is given by imposition of hands." At least, this is one of their arguments to prove its sacramental character. If so, then it follows that little children on whom hands were laid received a sacrament, which is absurd. Ana- nias, a disciple or private Christian, laid hands on Paul, and he re- ceived his Sight. The giving of sight must have been a sacrament, because it was ntinistered by laying on oi ? hands, which is likewise absurd. 3. Another reason given for the sacramental character of orders is, that they cannot be reiterated. *If this be of any weight, it is of equal weight to say, that the creation, or the deluge, are sac?ments because they cannot be repeated. 4. According to the Roman Catholic mode of reasoning, there must be as many as seven sacraments in the various grades of their minis �See on this the a?thoritiem quoted by Wilier, !). ?7. f [be also Wilier, pp. 1
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