Page:Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent Buckley.djvu/326

Rh unavailing, and that no such act tends to the injury of him who has ordained him.

from Book 1 of Decretals, tit, VI, on Election and the Power of the Elect, cap. 7.

(Sess. vii. de ref. cap. 1.)

Whereas in all sacred orders and ecclesiastical ministeries, maturity of age, gravity of morals, and knowledge of literature are to be inquired into, with much stronger reason ought these things to be inquired into in case of a bishop, who, placed in charge of others, ought to show in himself, after what manner it may be fitting that others should demean themselves in the house of God. On this account, lest what has been done regarding certain persons to meet the necessity of the time may be drawn by posterity into a precedent, we enact by the present decree, that no one be elected to the rank of a bishop who has not already passed the thirtieth year of life, and has been born from lawful wedlock; and, also, can be proved to be commendable in integrity of life and in knowledge.

Ibid. § Inferiora.

(Sess. xxiv. de reform, cap. 12.)

The inferior ministries, for instance the deanship, arch-deaconship, and others which have the cure of souls annexed, let no one soever undertake, neither the government of a parochial church, unless he has already reached the twenty-fifth year of his age, and is to be recommended for knowledge and morals. But when he has been admitted, if an arch-deacon, to a deacon, and the dean and others having been admonished, have not been ordained priests at the time prescribed by the canons, let them both be removed from that office, and let it be conferred on others, who may be both willing and able to fill it suitably. And let not the refuge of appeal avail them, if, perchance, to the transgression of that constitution, they should feel disposed to defend themselves by appeal. We enjoin this to be observed, if the canons do not oppose not only in the