But when we are even told by Dr. STANLEY (p. 36, n.) that, “from the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church no _declaration of belief_ is required at their Ordination,” we almost cease to be surprised at his allegations respecting the ante-Nicene age. One would have thought it very little trouble to look into the present Roman Pontifical, and see the service for Ordination of Priests, before making any such statement. Unless Dr. STANLEY’S copy is very different from mine—(Antverpiæ _Ex-officina Plantiniana_ Balthasaris Moreti, 1663)—he will read thus:—
“Pontifex, accepta mitra, vertit se ad presbyteros ordinatos qui ante altare coram ipso stantes _profitentur Fidem_ quam prædicaturi sunt, dicentes CREDO, &c., &c.”
I think that I need add no more on this head: but I will refer to the Subscriptions of Protestant Churches, before I pass on. It is very commonly said at present that “Subscription” does not secure the Uniformity of opinion which it aims at, and thus shows itself to be as useless as it is vexatious,—(as if, forsooth, any one supposed that absolute uniformity of thought could be attained by any means in the world). Dr. STANLEY has not omitted this; but once more I must hold him to facts.
“It was one of the misfortunes,” (he says, p. 36) “incident to the Reformation, that every Protestant Church by way of defending itself against the enemies that hemmed it in, or that _were supposed to_ hem it in on every side, was induced to compile each for itself a _new_ Confession of Faith.”—This is scarcely doing justice to our Protestant friends, _in limine_. They had to do something more than defend themselves against enemies; they had to form some bond of union among themselves. If they were not to be merely scattered units, to be attracted in time to the largest bodies near them, they were obliged to find some principle of cohesion among themselves; and they who refuse to allow them to make “articles” or “confessions” ought in charity to suggest some other plan. To have separated from a compact body like the Roman Church and profess _nothing_ positive, was surely an impossible course.—But Dr. STANLEY further says, “The excess of Subscription on the continent over-leaped itself and has led to its gradual extinction, or modification.” (p. 37.)