"sive ex Monachis, sive Virum aliquem ex Sæcularibus, notum "doctrina, et lectione S. Scripturarum, ac virtutibus, et pro"bitate insignem, quamvis extraneus fuerit, et Episcopus or"dinetur." Labbe's Councils, tom. 2, Paris 1671, p. 331.

66

"Let no Bishop living elect, or appoint for election, his own successor.-Let no bishop whilst he lives, either elect, or "appoint for election, another who may succeed him after his "death; neither from amongst his neighbours, nor from "amongst those who are remote. Neither shall he elect to "preside over his fellow citizens, any man from amongst the higher ranks, who may be appointed their Bishop. But

after the Bishop's death, let them elect some man from 66 amongst the Priests, or Monks, or the Laity, who is known "for his learning, and perusal of the Holy Scriptures, and

conspicuous for his virtues and probity; and although he "should be a stranger, let him be ordained."

II. This decree is too clearly expressed to require any comment. It is the decree of an Ecumenical Council. Will the Irish Bishops, for the sake of preserving their uncontrouled dominion, venture to resist the evidence of a General Council, as the High-Priests of the Synagogue ventured to resist the miracles of J. C.?

I conjure them by all that is sacred, by the names of our ancient fathers Columba, Cumian, Aidan, Finan, Colman, Columban, Adamnan, &c. to consider that the lust of power has always occasioned the downfal of sanctity, the

destruction of genuine discipline, the rise of schisms, and the overthrow of all order and subordination in the Church.

Be it remembered, that a Synod of fortyeight Bishops held by Pope Hilarus, at Rome, in 465, condemned with erecration the practice of some Bishops, who nominated their own Successors; and that all the assembled Bishops, assoon as that Canon of condemnation was read, rose from their seats, and confirmed it, with Christian abhorrence of such infamous practices, and with loud and reiterated acclamations of "Hear this, O Christ! Long live Hi"larus! Let this audacity be no where com"mitted! God's gifts cannot be given away at "the will of Men! Successors are given by "God! We entreat you by your Apostleship, to "resist this with all your authority! We de"mand that Discipline be maintained! We “demand that antient Canons be adhered to! "We demand that the Violaters of them be pun"ished! Let Apostolical Ordination be preserved

"inviolate!"*

*

"Patres frequentibus acclamationibus, propositas ab

Be it also remembered, that the great S.. Augustin, finding that this decree of the Council of Nice had been violated in his own nomination to the See of Hippo, throws himself on the Mercy of God, and the forgiveness of the Catholic Church, because he knew not, at the time of his nomination, that such a decree as the above Nicene had ever been made. "Adhuc in corpore posito B. Memoriæ Patre "et Episcopo meo, sene Valerio, Episcopus "ordinatus sum, et sedi cum illo, quod Concilio "Nicæno prohibitum esse nesciebam, nec ipse "sciebat."+

III. Will the Bishops shake the Irish Catholic Church to its foundations, by venturing to persevere in nominating their own Successors,

"Hilaro Canones approbarunt. Exaudi Christe! Hilaro "Vita! Hac præsumptio nunquam fiat! uæ Dei sunt ab "homine dari non possunt! Successores Deus dat! Aucto"ritate vestra resistite huic rei per Apostolatum vestrum ! Ut "Disciplina, servetur rogamus! Ut antiquitas servetur ro"rogamus! Ut Canones custodiantur rogamus! Ut in pre"sumptoribus vindicetur rogamus! Ordinatio Apostolica illi"bata servetur." Labbe's Councils, t. 4, pag. 1060.

+ S. Augustin Epist. 213, alias 110, § 4, et apud Sandini in Vita Hilari, t. 1. p. 154.

in defiance of these venerable decrees?" Ista "Successorum designatio, et Episcopatuum quasi "Testamentario jure dimissio, quam grave ma"lum esset, says the learned Dominican Friar "Natalis Alexander, et quanta vigilantia ac "zelo ex Ecclesiis auferendum, S. Hilarus Pon"tifex exposuit." Sandini mentions the same Canons and Decisions, with all the respect and veneration they so justly deserve. Will the Irish Bishops, on pretence of maintaining the Independence of their Hierachy, which is nothing but their uncontrouled dominatio in Cleris, overturn the Sacred Canons of the Universal Church?

IV. Will they not rather, as good Bishops and Irishmen, rescue their Country from the danger of entailing on Posterity a Servile, Sycophant, Suivelling, and Symoniacal Priesthood, such as

+ Natal. Alexander Hist. Eccles. fol. Paris 1699, tom, 5. p. 172, Articulo 15.

"Concilio 48 Episcoporum Romæ habito, S. Hilarus Papa quinque edidit Canones ad constituendam Ecclesiæ "Disciplinam, atque horum postremo cavit, ne quis Episco"pus sibi eligeret successorem." Vita Pont. ib. pag. 154.

must, in the common course of human affairs, be the result of uncontrouled power, residing in a Bishop, who can make his Diocese personal property, and dispose of it as he likes. Such Bishops, so invested with a power unheard of in the Church, will be under no restraint whatsoever; their Clergy will be their Slaves, the vile tools of any persecution, which any Bishop may hereafter raise against any Catholic Family, whom he may chuse to excommunicate, or any brother Clergyman whom, from motives in petto, he may persecute, without any responsibility or any controul! Let them answer it to their Country, and above all to God, whose tremendous judgments approach them near at hand, whether a Bishop, appointed by a living Bishop to be his own Successor, is Canonically appointed, or can be conscientiously considered elected by the Spirit of God; he being nominated without any election, and in a way which is expressly forbidden by the Councils of Nice, and of Rome, whose Canons are respected by all the different Sects of Christians from Pole to Pole? Is there a Protestant Bishop in Europe