←670
←670
The judgment of the ancient church was most concurrent on this particular. ‘Non possunt qua? doces habere firmitatem, nisi ea prior feceris.’ Lactan. Instit. Lib. 4. c. 24. ‘Non confundant opera tua sermonem tuum: ne, cum Ecclesia loqueris, tacitus quilibet respondeat, cur ergo haec quae dicis, ipse non facis? Sacerdotis Christi os, mens, manusque concordent.’ Hieron. ad Nepot. The council of Trent also exhibited an elevated standard of Ministerial consistency—‘Nihil est, quod alios magis ad pietatem et Dei cultum assidue instruat, quam eorum vita et exemplum, qui se Divino Ministerio dedicarunt, etc. Quapropter sic decet omnino clericos in sortem Domini vocatos, vitam, moresque suos omnes componere, ut habitu, gestu, incessu, sermone, aliisque omnibus rebus nil nisi grave, moderatum, ac religione plenum prae se ferant, etc.’ Concil. Trid. Sess. 22. c. 1. Care however must be taken to distinguish between the self-righteousness of a mere external gravity, and that spirituality of character which results from evangelical principles, and influences the heart to Ministerial devotedness.